Wrap-Up

Political Wire:

The Morning After Palin

The Detroit Free Press put together a panel of voters to listen to last night's Republican convention speeches and, much as I predicted last night, the independents were universally negative on Palin. In fact, they were more negative than the Democratic voters. The speech was clearly designed to help close the "enthusiasm gap" that has dogged the McCain campaign all summer.

Other interesting commentary:

Howard Wolfson: "What I was particularly impressed with was her ability to stick the knife into Barack Obama with a smile and do it effectively. She was very, very good... That shot at the end with she and her family on stage cradling the baby is priceless. You can't buy that kind of imagery. She did a very, very good job. I agree Democrats have reason to be concerned. Nobody should underestimate this woman's political ability, to go on stage in a hall like this, give a speech like this for the first time ever, quite impressive."

Ezra Klein: "As delivered, the speech was effective as theater but curiously hollow as an enduring campaign argument: It contained the seeds of a medal ceremony for McCain, and marked Palin as a politician to watch, but it said nothing about the presidency she hopes to be part of."

James Fallows: "Sarah Palin, at least tonight, did not seem interested in bringing anyone new into the fold. A speech that was great in the convention hall. We'll see how it affects the electoral lineup."

Jonathan Martin: "She wasn't quite the surprise that Barack Obama was in 2004, when his star was born at the Democratic convention in Boston. But, like Obama then, delegates left the building and Republicans at home headed to bed with unforgettable images of a fresh face and new force to be reckoned on the national political scene etched in their minds."

Bill Kristol: "Now we see why the liberal establishment has been trying for the last few days to destroy Sarah Palin. She is a threat to their hopes to take the White House this year, a threat to their broader claims to speak for youth, for women, and for the future, and a threat to their attempt to control the high ground in the culture war. After her stunning success last night, some in the liberal media may retire from the ring for a while. Others, with the threat now even more evident, may redouble their assaults and become even more desperate and vicious. Surely they'll fail."