Speeches....

The Mark Warner speech last night at the Democratic convention was good....but far from memorable. Thespeech delivered by Mass. Gov. Duval Patrick right after him was better.

But the night belonged to Hillary Clinton.

Now, I've never been a big fan of the former first lady since the firt time I met her back in 1992, but I have to admit that was a great speech. It was self-serving, all about her, but wonderfully done. She did what she had to do, but that's about as far as she went. What she didn't do is what Obama's running mate Joe Biden did — and maybe she should have.

Biden was just as critical of Obama's experience during the primaries as Clinton was. But when asked about that earlier this year when he served as a surrogate for Obama at the Sunday morning news shows, he said he was impressed with how much Obama had grown during the course of the campaign. Clinton might have done the party a favor if she conceded something along those lines herself.

So tonight we get the "other" Clinton. And based on the expressions on his face during her speech last night, you can bet that he'll do much the same....what he has to do, not much more -- and be just as self-serving.

What will be the most ridiculous part of tonight's festivities is if they go ahead with the planned roll call vote that will be stopped mid-stream just for the sake of appeasing the Clinton supporters who want to cast their vote for Hillary. It's kind of like extending a baseball game into extra innings despite the fact that one team won in the regulation nine innings, but agreeing to step the game if the score gets close

Day Two of the Dem convention

All eyes and ears will be on Hillary Cinton tonight as she addresses the party faithful in Denvernver. She have a tough act to follow in that Ted Kennedy and Michelle Obama certainly held their own on Monday's opening night. But then again, Clinton will come to the stage with her supporters already seated and anxious to show the country just how popular she is.

But...the big surprise tonight might be the keynote speaker, former VA Gov. and U.S. Senate candidate Mark Warner. Not a lot of folks know a lot about him. But two years ago I spent a few days in New Hampshire with him when he was seriously considering a presidential run of his own. He has quite the story to tell....and he might steal the show tonight.

Lieberman....

It was exactly eight years ago last week when Joe Lieberman came to New London to be the featured speaker at a morning breakfast hosted by the local chapter of Literacy for America. That was the same morning when news broke that Lieberman was among the final four on Al Gore's short list of potential vice presidential candidates. Later that week, he was the nominee.

Lieberman was back in New London this morning, again the featured speaker of a morning breakfast meeting (this time, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut), and once again the subject everyone wanted to talk about was the vice presidential spot -- only this time onf Republican John McCain's ticket.

Lieberman did nothing this morning to quell the speculation. In fact, despite repeatedly sayng for months now that he wasn't interested....he wouldn't even say that today. Instead, he said John McCain has earned the right to choose who he wants as his running mate -- and that he would be better served in remaining silent on that subject. He wouldn't answer either the question of "would you accept the nomination," saying only that he didn't expect he'd get the call.

What that suggests is that Lieberman is in fact on the short list...and is probably being seriously considered. When you are in that position, just as he was eight years ago, the best thing you can say is nothing.

That doesn't mean Lieberman will be selected by McCain. We'll get the answer to that question on Friday. But what it does say is that if....a BIG IF...but if that call is made, he will accept the nomination.

GOP Veep-stakes

It's not surprising that Joe Lieberman was invited to address the Republican convention. What should be noted, however, is that he has been slated to address the gathering on Monday night -- the opening night of the event. That pretty much should end all speculation of him being selected as McCain's vice presidential running mate. The VP nominee will address the convention on Wednesday night.

My bet right now is that it will be Romney.

He's back....

Yes...it's been a while. I've been busy....and we'll just leave it at that.

Okay....last week in my Sunday column I wrote about how Joe Biden from Delaware, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, appeared to surface to the top of the short list as running mates for Barack Obama. Well, today Biden is making very clear to anyone who will listen that he is "NOT" the candidate.

So who is....

My guess is its New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. Why.....Richardson is the only one who isn't listed as a speaker on any convention schedule....and he should be. So why....unless is already is scheduled to speak, but the Obama camp isn't ready to tell anyone that -- at least not yet.