--Some thoughts on the Democratic National Convention: Scripted?
Yes. Everything fed to us theses days has to be chewed over and over by others to meet the generic taste-test `for our own good’. The loss of face; the loss of truly free speech (wait till the Republican National Convention gets hold of you); the loss of the real. No surprises, please. Which is why I couldn’t wait to hear the Rev. Al (Sharpton) take the podium. I wasn’t disappointed. Nor was the convention or the country. Black poetry, black soul, black jazz--and then some. You gotta love the legendary `loose cannon’ that almost always hits the target. If Barack Obama is the future of the Democratic Party, the Rev. Al is what remains of old Democrats who still believe in government of/for/by the people and the power of unedited speech to voice both soul and heartbeat. As Sandburg once sang in his magnificent poem: “The People, Yes.”

--Among a significant number of “home run speeches” for the week: Jimmy Carter, Barack Obama, the Reverend Al, Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Teresa Heinz-Kerry, Ron Reagan, Alexandra Kerry, and John Kerry. Biggest disappointment: John Edwards.

--A great four nights for political junkies, and a promising new morning in America for all Americans. But a pox on all four major networks (who owns the airwaves?) for the piss-poor coverage they give us of national conventions that come but once every four years. It should be written in the licensing of ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX: all major conventions for presidential elections and presidential/vice-presidential debates must be carried live as a public/civic service. ( PBS deserves a C+/B- for its effort. Not enough coverage of the floor and podium. Too many pundits wasting too much time. As for Jim Lehrer? Time for him and George W. to retire to Texas.

--Plan #!: The Democratic Party should earmark a part of its war chest to produce a DVD of the best speeches during the convention week…highlighting some, but including all of Clinton, Sharpton, Obama, Alex Kerry and John Kerry.

--Plan #2: A week before the election, the Democratic Party should move all its TV adverti$ing chips to one of the major networks and buy whatever amount of prime time it needs to show Michael Moore’s. “Fahrenheit 9/11”. Even if only 97% of the film is true, it’s still a Wake-up America call. Even 80%. 75%. 50%!

--Top 10 George Bush Complaints About "Fahrenheit 9/11"

10. That actor who played the President was totally unconvincing.

9. It oversimplified the way I stole the election.

8. Too many of them fancy college-boy words.

7. If Michael Moore had waited a few months, he could have included the part where I get him deported.

6. Didn't have one of them hilarious monkeys who smoke cigarettes and gives people the finger.

5. Of all Michael Moore's accusations, only 97% are true.

4. Not sure . . . I passed out after a piece of popcorn lodged in my windpipe.

3. Where the hell was Spider-man?

2. Couldn't hear most of the movie over Cheney's foul mouth.

1. I thought this was supposed to be about dodgeball.