Friday In Retrospect

As is usual for most Convention Fridays, yesterday seemed like it started an impossibly long time ago. We had some national political figures roar through town, we had Kirk Watson elected permanent chair of the convention, and we had the obligatory committee problems that resulted in a late night for everyone.

(But hey, how about Natomi Austin's Star Spangled Banner? I am totally friends with her. I was blown away.)

Chelsea Clinton was introduced as someone we've all watched grow up, and I guess I hadn't truly thought much about it until I saw her tonight. Her father's big career change to Dallas was really the first political thing I ever paid attention to, and Chelsea is more or less my contemporary. So to see that she has developed into a capable speaker over the course of her mother's campaign for president was nice, and to see how engaging she is in real life was even nicer. She has an easy way about her, and I think people feel comfortable listening to her. Must be the genes, I guess.

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine was also pretty fun to watch, and his big laugh line — "... and now Tom DeLay is a Virginia resident, thanks a lot, guys!" — was actually that. Many candidates try to do funny and/or self-deprecation, and most of them get to somewhere around "almost funny" - which is like death. Tim Kaine pulled off some genuinely funny moments and was an exciting speaker the rest of the time.

Austin State Senator Kirk Watson will oversee Saturday's proceedings and I remembered why I like him so much tonight when he took over running the boat. Watson is a rock star and will go a long long way in politics, but he doesn't have the usual guarded mask that you see on a lot of political lifers. Kirk Watson has that rarest of political qualities - he is genuine - and his popularity among his colleagues is a testament to that.

Oh, and as for late nights? SD14 finished at 3:30 AM. Get some sleep.