ST. PAUL - Some observations from last night at Xcel:
- No one tells a story like Fred Thompson. People know John McCain is a war hero and a former POW, but few if any have ever heard McCain's experiences told in such harrowing detail. The hall was enraptured listening to that familiar Tennessee baritone paint the scenes of McCain's life around the theme of putting his country first.
- George Bush's approval rating among the delegates inside the arena is about 65 points above his national average. This, of course, is a problem for McCain, who couldn't dis the president but also wants to run as far and as fast away from him as he can - doing so in a way that doesn't anger the base. But many rock-rib Republicans still love Bush, and most think he and his administration will be vindicated by history.
- You could hear the gnashing of teeth from Democrats around the country as Joe Lieberman delivered one line after another cutting down Barack Obama. Lieberman may or may not win votes for McCain this year, but after the Dems pick up some more Senate seats in November, you can bet the first thing they'll do is strip him of his committee assignments and cast him the rest of the way out of his former party.
- While there were a few moments last night when the crowd raised the roof, by and large one of the most noticeable differences between this week and last is that the energy within the Xcel Center was far more subdued than what the Democrats produced in the Pepsi Center in Denver. That's not necessarily surprising given the dynamics at play in this election, and it will be interesting to measure the enthusiasm in the hall tonight when Sarah Palin takes the stage.
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