Ma-Ma-Ma-Belle

Not much of a night for the Democrats, as good as Michelle Obama's speech was. And it was good—heart-hugging biography bolstered by what I've always found to be an engaging speech style. (I particularly dig her breathless "Ehh!" on "Ehhverything!") The Democrats are relishing their discovery of a family that grew up poor. Try and make Kerry and Gore relatable like this.

That said, the Democrats' biographies always end in the most mundane places. Michelle's father struggled to raise her, but she grew up and… hey, here she is! Obama lost his father, but he took some menial jobs and… oh, look, there he is on that screen! The narrative for both Obamas treats profits and business as malicious careers, swampy pathes not taken, and lifelong political rent-seeking as the highest form of living.

But I'm being a party pooper. There are a lot of people tonight who used to dislike Michelle Obama.