The Short Answer, Dave, Is Not a Hell of a Lot

reason Associate Editor Dave Weigel asks below, "What did I miss?" The short answer is: Nothin so far.

Sitting here in the real America (that is, Ohio), watching the Democratic convention on a Duraband tube purchased at a Wal-Mart, and having just suffered through the Ted Kennedy-a-palooza, I'm just getting a sense of dread for the political process. The Kennedy tribute was at best bizarre and at worst embarrassing. Really, do you have to emphasize Teddy's love of the water, which has been no friend to his political ambitions?

It's a given that these conventions are media spectacles devoid of real drama. So far this one is even devoid of design.

Michelle Obama hits the floor in a bit—but only after former GOP Rep. Jim Leach of Iowa, wahoo—and maybe then this show will pull equal in general interest-level with a rerun of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. But I kind of doubt it.