An actor, not a Jedi

Heading for the airport in an hour, but needed one more hit of election news....

A nice round-up of events inside the hall from the Republican National Convention from Ezra Klein:

On Fred Thompson's recounting of McCain's biography:

The story was well told, but it's testament to McCain's reluctance to speak about his war record that by this point in the election, the mute can tell it, the forgetful can recall it, and the blind can sketch it.

On Joe Lieberman:

And ah, Joe. Eight years ago, you were the vice presidential nominee. Four years ago, you were begging Democrats for their presidential nomination. Two years ago, you were defeated in a Democratic primary. Now you're at the Republican convention. Lieberman is at the Xcel Center for much the reason that pet goldfish spend their days in a neon castle: He has nowhere else to go.

[...]

He's a famed old Washington player assuring the audience that his buddy, another famed Washington player, is the guy who can really change Washington.

On The Message:

There were a few threads running throughout the night. Hurricane Gustav is very sad. John McCain is a POW. Sarah Palin is great pick, a great great pick, we totally love her and are not lying and the Democrats must be very scared because she is very experienced. And Barack Obama is inexperienced. The first message emerged sharply. So did the second. The third argument sounded tinny and defensive, particularly when Fred Thompson said the other side is in a "panic." Note to Thompson: You're an actor, not a Jedi. These were the droids we were looking for, and Palin is still on the cover of US Weekly, looking like Mama Spears.

Maybe Thompson got that Jedi delusion from McCain adviser Charlie Black, who said:

“She’s going to learn national security at the foot of the master for the next four years, and most doctors think that he’ll be around at least that long,” said Charlie Black, one of Mr. McCain’s top advisers, making light of concerns about Mr. McCain’s health, which Mr. McCain’s doctors reported as excellent in May.

Yes....young and crazy, she is. Strong in her, flows the dark side...

Besides: May. Dude, that's like months ago....