Some thoughts on the Democratic Convention (if you hate political talk, you should probably stop reading now):

> Bill Clinton is the quintessential politician, and he should be the role model for anybody hoping to get elected to public office. His speech was excellent, especially his accompanying body language, and he said all the right things. When he first ran for president in 1992, I feared he was all surface and no substance, but he proved me wrong by being a good president in addition to being an outstanding politician.

> John Edwards was not bad last night, and I might be able to get over my instinctive fear of lawyers in his case. He is the only one of the four candidates who is a self-made person, rising from a working class family to become both wealthy and powerful. He is probably the only one of the candidates who really understands the average American.

> The Democrats might be idealistic, and slightly naive, but at least they are not elitists who believe running the government is their due and that their only obligation is to maintain the power structure and increase the wealth of their peers.

> All politicians lie to some degree, but I much prefer a president who lies about his sex life than a president whose lies lead to destabilizing entire countries, fueling hatred against the United States, and alienating all of our former allies. I have always considered myself an Independent, and I still vote that way in local and statewide elections, but nationally it is hard not to fear the current incumbents.