Thoughts on Warner's Keynote

From Time's Amy Sullivan

Listening to Mark Warner's keynote address, it certainly sounded like he went after Bush, McCain and the GOP. (He pulled off the attack-dog role better than did Kathleen Sebelius, who mostly sounded like a fourth-grade teacher who was very disappointed with George and John.) But overall, the speech didn't strike me as terribly tough. And when I read back over, I saw a couple of reasons why. For one thing, Warner mentioned McCain and Bush just three times in a four-page (15 minute?) talk. But more significantly, his tough lines were actually warmed-over leftovers from 2004: they get a rise out of the crowd, but they didn't seem to move voters the first time around when they littered Democratic convention speeches in 2004: After 9/11, Bush asked people to go shopping instead of to sacrifice; Republicans don't support soldiers once they get back from Iraq and Afghanistan; they didn't plan for the invasion and occupation of Iraq.

It doesn't mean Democrats need to go after McCain personally to actually land a punch. But at the very least, they might want to update last cycle's speeches.