RNC Convention

It's Friday at noon in Tokyo - Thursday evening in the US - and I've been watching McCain's speech live on CNN and saw Sarah Palin 24 hrs ago.

Quick analysis:

McCain's speech was really odd. Stilted. Flat. The most genuine part was about his POW experience in Vietnam. Very moving. But he had a lame laundry list of what he would do to "get the country moving again" Pay people for lesser jobs while they go to community college? Vague promises about health care. Not even a solid foreign policy section, other than taking credit for the surge and a too-long bit about the Republic of Georgia, which most Americans don't care about.

As I see it, he's got two problems: First, he's telling us that the GOP screwed up for 8 years - so give us 4 more years! Second, he's trying to change his basic "experience" brand to a "change" brand, sort of like General Motors promoting its hybrid technology after decades of selling SUVs.

(Now the heavy metal song "Barracuda" is playing... does not exactly fit with the tableau of rich white guys at the convention.)

Sarah Palin: A crackerjack speech, even if it was surprisingly bitchy (in a good way, if you like that sort of bitchiness). Maybe she should have put up her fingers like claws to add a "hisssss" or a "meowww"? She must have guts of steel to make that kind of speech - before a national audience for the first time. Impressive. She looked good, too, in a Jackie sort of way. If she doesn't win VP, she can always do hair commercials.

For better or worse for McCain, Palin solidified her hold on the VP spot. If more serious scandals from her past pop up, he'll have to live with his choice.