DNC RNC TPMtv 2008 1 love and we out. PEACE:

Eric Cantor drinks the straight talk-McCain-brings-change kool aid-- big time!

Alas... he did not look into TPMtv's camera and call TPMtv "Macaca." But TPMtv could tell he wanted to:

Fineman waxes poetic on Sarah Palin and the GOP. "Oh she'll energize it. But the energy she supplies will spread like... through the tentacles of the Republican party." Yowzer! But like what? Fire? Liquid lava? Quiet Thunder? Your guess is as good as ours!

Night four of the Republican National Convention.

TPMtv would really prefer not to gloat, honestly, but when you're lucky you're lucky. Some of you may remember the money seat TPMtv snagged on the final day of the DNC at Invesco Field. Well, here we are on the final day of the RNC in the Xcel Energy Center. Our experience here in St. Paul has been markedly different than that of Denver, as we've been reporting at length. But one thing remains the same: TPMtv scores the best seat in the house.



Yes, that would be the World Champion New York Giants, playing their first regular season game since winning the Greatest Super Bowl Of All Time. Following that beautiful bobbling catch by Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress, quarterback and Super Bowl XLII MVP Eli Manning ran in a bootleg for the Giants' first touchdown of the 2008 season.

Late Update: An official-looking lady with a remote control in her hand just came by and regretfully informed TPMtv that she had to switch the TV to the RNC pool feed. I regretfully informed her that this was totally unacceptable to 6-foot 4-inch, 264-pound Giants running back Brandon Jacobs, and then I grabbed the remote and shattered it into several pieces with a brisk forearm shiver. [Ed. note: None of that happened. The lady changed the channel and TPMtv sat there and accepted it, forlornly. But if TPMtv sees online that the game is close in the 4th quarter it is fully committed to changing the channel back, come what may. Stand your ground. Stand your ground!]

We wrap up reaction to Sarah Palin's speech at the Republican Convention, in the most patriotic episode of TPMtv ever:

Goodnight day three of the Republican National Convention, a thousand times goodnight.

TPMtv reports on the Huckabee stage set. And here's that Madonna quote: "The reporting of the past few days have proven tackier than a costume change at a Madonna concert." Truth to power, Huck, truth to power.

Thank God! We finally found someone to talk to!

Have you ever had one of those dreams, or nightmares, or whatever, where you're in a crowded public place and suddenly there's just no one there at all? TPMtv has had them too. And wonders: are we lucid dreaming right now? And did Mike Huckabee just talk about Madonna? Another sort of dream entirely, but not one TPMtv is unfamiliar with.

Keep your jetpacks cooled for a little longer, people... Thass right. It's the R-N-Cee. It's Night Three. Tonight is the night... to grab your lady, hold her tight. And let her know that it's time to groove slow to... The Quiet Storm [presses low rumbling thunder sound effect button]:



As we've been reporting all week, there is a distinct difference in mood and tempo here at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul from the Democratic version last week in Denver. Nowhere is that difference more stark than in the area of music. Of course you recall the sound of Denver: machine gun funk. And the sound of St. Paul? Quiet Storm [presses low rumbling thunder sound effect button].

TPMtv before Rudy and Sarah. Strap on your jetpacks!

On day three of the convention, David Kurtz weighs in on Palin at the RNC. Whatever the reaction to Sarah Palin elsewhere, inside the convention, she is being greeted like a long lost friend, especially among GOP women.

Generational election? Political sea change? After a few days in St. Paul, TPMtv's David Kurtz is beginning to be convinced:

TPMtv bids the RNC farewell, until tomorrow...

Roger Stone leaves TPMtv (at least the half based in TPM world headquarters, Chelsea Flower District, NY, NY) Speechless.

TPMtv and TPM alum Matt Corley catch up with Grover Norquist, president of the anti-tax lobbying group Americans for Tax Reform.

Live from the RNC! (Seat belts really, really not necessary).

TPMtv meets up with Paul Rieckhoff, director and founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, at the RNC.

TPMtv notes the slo-o-o-owly rising energy level at the Republican National Convention.

TPMtv has to say that the wild energy at the Ron Paul Rally really trounces the vibe at the RNC.

Sarah Palin has managed to dominate the news -- and the buzz here in St. Paul -- despite Obama's speech to 75,000 in Denver, a Gulf Coast hurricane and the Republican National Convention. We review the various reactions to the Palin selection from the Republican side:

At The Republican National Convention, TPMtv's red carpet commentary continues when David Kurtz chats with a young alternate delegate from Texas.

Ed. Note: Yes, TPMtv knows it's more of a mottled beige, and yeah, they talk about things besides fashion... But don't you just love that hat?

As David Kurtz says, "No tie today, no bow tie, but... no socks either." Take it away, TPMtv!

Ed Note: Contrary to what I said in the above clip, President Bush's speech was originally scheduled for "last" night. --DK

Hurricane Gustav has thrown at least the first day of the Republican Convention into disarray. We report from St. Paul with the latest:

To conclude our coverage of the 2008 Democratic National Convention TPMtv brings you the final installment in its groundbreaking, multiple-award-winning serial documentary, "DNC '08: The Funky Convention." There is virtually unanimous agreement among all major scholarsticians: the final day of the 2008 Democratic National Convention will be remembered by history solely for its soundtrack. And save for the few unfunky minutes that Sheryl Crow commanded the stage ...


[TPM Managing Editor and prominent Sheryl Crow fan David Kurtz, clearly sensing the cameras on him, pretends here (1:54) to be entirely consumed by the work on his laptop. But TPMtv can report with some confidence that he was thoroughly enjoying the show.]

... it was a thick layer of bumptious, stanky, deep dinosaur funk that spread over the Invesco Field crowd all day and on into the night.

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