Outcome of the Republican Convention

Here’s the way I see it, from my vantage point deep in Flyover Country.

At the start of the Democratic convention, their party was about equally divided between very enthusiastic and very unsure.

At the end of their convention, they were in the same position. Maybe Obama rallied them a bit, but not convincingly so.

For the Republicans, they started their convention almost universally nervous. Not a lot of great enthusiasm for McCain (nor would they have had it for anyone, really), but a perfunctory sense that “We have to keep the tax-and-spend socialist out of the White House.” (Good enough for me, anyway.)

But at the end...well, that’s a different story. Now not only is the party energized, but there’s a lot of man-on-the-street enthusiasm for Palin, and McCain looks like he’s riding her coattails at the moment (who’d’a thunk it?).

As I said elsewhere, Palin has given America a yardstick with which to measure Obama, and he looks pretty lame by comparison. It’s as though the Dems have two VP candidates, with plenty of room at the top (if you know what I mean).

I say the conventions score big for the Republicans. Let’s hope they can keep the jump-started momentum going, and build on it.

Scott