Putting both my abhorrence for what the Republican leadership is doing to the nation as well as my general distaste for the horse race aspect aside, /begin mainstream punditry/ I’d have to say that at this point, the Republicans are doing much, much better with their convention than the Democrats did with theirs. I’ve expected George Bush to win re-election from the start, and I see no reason to alter my view now.
I was at the convention in New Orleans, and as with this convention, there was what Derb describes as a “winning feeling” that was quite palpable. The Republican presentation is slick, powerful, and even occasionally makes me feel somewhat wistful for those bygone days of enthusiastic innocence. If George Bush can keep the program rolling, he should see a significant post-convention bounce. /end mainstream punditry/