Dems Opening Night Focused, Moving; No Chris Christie Effect

I had put this over at my Purple Wisconsin blog, too:

I had live-blogged the DNC's first night over at my other blog, The Political Environment, but I'll add a few remarks here.

Basically, it was a strong opening night.

There were tight, compelling, coordinated speeches, and nicely-choreographed.

No off-putting angry addresses, like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's self-serving and scowling keynote on the RNC's Day One in which Mitt Romney's name was barely mentioned.

A point I mentioned when I wrote about the opening night of the Republican Convention, here.

The Dems served up a superb, diverse line-up, from a wounded Iraq war veteran to a mom with a sick child grateful for Obamacare, to up-and-coming party stars who had the prime time crowd on its feet.

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and keynoter San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro were clearly there to boost Barack Obama - - unlike so GOP speakers who must have preferred another candidate in the primaries and barely mentioned Romney's name - - and who represented and articulated the Democrats' strongest historical suit:

That the party as a coalition of multiple interests looks, sounds and speaks more directly to the entire country in ways that Republicans' more narrow-focused and hence sometimes tepid three days in Tampa could not.

The Democratic convention has two days to go, and there is time for trial and error, but I think the Democrats can build out into the general election from the basic idea - - inclusion - - they put forward in words and deeds all Tuesday night: that they have more in common with the country's diverse citizenry than does the party of big business, default libertarianism and tax breaks for the 1%.

Side note: I thought Michelle Obama gave a sensational speech. She is clearly an asset for the President.

I also gave high marks to Ann Romney.