UPDATE: Below the jump, news of an assassination plot in Denver.
7:50PM EDT
Just turning on CNN in time to see "CNN Contributor" Alex Castellanos. And we know what he's contributing: he's single-handedly contributing a known racist to their convention coverage. Here's the lesson... If you create racist television commercials, you too can be a very serious CNN expert.
7:57PM
Bill Maher on MSNBC... "Mitt Romney will have to educate the nation about the lunacy that is Mormonism."
8PM
Maher and Matthews talking about how "Pawlenty" and "Obama" are funny names. Keith mentioning the name "Spiro Agnew". And might I add "Roosevelt", "Eisenhower", "Adlai", "Hannibal Hamlin" and "Grover Cleveland". Hah! Grover! Joking aside, I think "Barack Obama" fits the broad historic notion of a presidential-sounding name. We've nominated or elected quite a few really unusual names.
Continued after the jump...
8:14PMSpeaker Pelosi is making with the talking now. We heard her earlier as she was nominated as the chair of convention just prior to the ratification of the platform. And, by the way, she's wearing a lovely dentist smock.8:19PMSpeaker Pelosi with the "Barack Obama was right -- John McCain was wrong" singalong.8:22PMFrank Luntz on O'Reilly talking about the McCain Houses thing. Luntz says that while his focus group of 21 undecided voters thought the Obama attack ad showed that McCain is out of touch, it doesn't impact them because McCain didn't use his political position to get the houses. Wow. That's about right for a focus group -- in that focus groups are stupid.8:30PMAn MSNBC reporter just asked Speaker Pelosi, "What does President Clinton want?" Make up your own jokes.8:35PMVia Paddy... Olbermann says to Scarborough: "Jesus, Joe -- get a shovel!"8:42PMSo I've watched the Olbermann clip a few times now. First, it wasn't meant to be on the air. That much is obvious. Second, Scarborough was talking out his ass like always. Third, Scarborough didn't seem to understand what Olbermann meant.8:50PMRachel Maddow: the PUMAs are "post rational." Brilliant. Of course Buchanan says: "You can't win their votes by calling them 'post rational.'" Rachel replies: "I'm not trying to win them over. I'm not running for anything." (paraphrasing)8:52PMBrokaw interviewing Governor Sebelius. Waiting for him to try to pronounce her name.8:56PMSenator Biden in the arena with his family. Now he's talking with Chairman Dean. By the way, weird space-time continuum thing... if events had gone differently four years ago, Howard Dean would be running for reelection this year.9:03PMShit. Rocky Mountain News is reporting that law enforcement officials might have uncovered an assassination plot against Senator Obama. More at TPM.9:15PMCaroline Kennedy about to make with the talking.9:20PMI want to have cookies at Senator Kennedy's house.9:29PMIf you're like me and you have brothers, this Kennedy tribute is very stirring and emotional. Amazing.9:35PMHave you noticed how liberal tonight has been so far? I haven't heard much by way of DLC-isms.10PMThe suspected assassin's name is Tharin Gartrell. More:
Another law enforcement source says he was told at least one of the rifles was a “sniper rifle.”
I'll wager that Mr. Gartrell has read a lot of whisper campaign e-mails. Also:
CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass reported one of the suspects told authorities they were "going to shoot Obama from a high vantage point using a ... rifle … sighted at 750 yards."Law enforcement sources tell Maass that one of the suspects "was directly asked if they had come to Denver to kill Obama. He responded in the affirmative."
The old and new media co-conspirators -- and that's what they are -- who are circulating these awful and dangerous rumors need to realize what they're doing here. They are inciting violence against a public official and his family. I hasten to note, however, that there's no word on whether this plot has to do with the rumors, but I'd be shocked if it wasn't.10:13PMBuchanan is a big whiny high-pitched puss. For the second time tonight, he's copped out in an argument with Rachel. Earlier he copped out by saying, "You can't win their votes with 'post rational.'" And just now, while debating POW Tourettes, Rachel said that McCain is turning his POW experience into a punchline. And Buchanan replied, "Why don't you call McCain and tell him!" In other words, in Buchanan's puss world, if you're critical of Republican tactics... instead of talking about it on television, you should just call the Republicans on the phone and tell them. Very serious! Puss.10:29PMVery touching bio of Mrs. Obama. Prediction: Buchanan will gripe, "Why did they have to make a video!?" Maddow will reply, "They do this for all of the candidates and their spouses." Buchanan: "Well aren't you a smarty pants!"10:35PMHere comes Michelle Obama.10:45PMShe's a very strong speaker. I can't remember another candidate's spouse delivering an impassioned address like this.10:54PMWow! She really does love America after all. [sarcasm]10:58PMWell, that was just outstanding. The moments with the kids after the speech. Absolutely one of the most memorable political scenes of my lifetime.11:02PMFor what it's worth, Bill "Wrong About Everything" Kristol just called Mrs. Obama's speech "generic." Wrong... like always.11:14PMBill Kristol is a fucking asshat.11:26PMSneak preview of Cindy McCain's speech next week: "When I first met John in exotic Hawaii, and gave him a wicked handjob with my good arm while his disfigured first wife struggled to recover from a serious car accident, I knew John was ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ! Huh-what? Beer! Good night!"11:43PMBreaking News! Karl Rove said Michelle Obama didn't do enough in her speech. Shocker. He said anyone could have delivered that speech. Also, is it me or is Rove always sinus-y -- like he always has a head cold?11:44PMYeah, I think instead of a genuine American first family like the Obamas, we probably should have the McZombies because they're less exotic. How fucked up is our national discourse when the Obama family -- which looks like every family in America -- is somehow the weirdo exotic freak family, and the decaying super-rich Magoos are the normal ones.11:53PMThis was a brilliant section:
That is the thread that connects our hearts. That is the thread that runs through my journey and Barack's journey and so many other improbable journeys that have brought us here tonight, where the current of history meets this new tide of hope.That is why I love this country.
The tide! And look -- it's turning.Good night everyone. I'm guessing Elvis will be blogging in the comments until the Ambien wears off.