Monday

Winner: Bill Clinton

Republicans have Ronald Reagan; Democrats
have Bill Clinton. On Monday, the greatest living hero of the
Democratic Party set Boston’s Fleet Center afire as he
delivered a speech that was simultaneously humorous yet serious. At
the core of his speech was a crucially important task: to draw a
clear line between Democrats and Republicans; to define the
differences between Kerry and Bush. He did this, however, with a
liberal dose of humor. Pointing out how he personally benefited
from the tax cuts, Clinton joked that “I thought I should
send them a thank you note — until I realized they were
sending you the bill.” But Clinton’s speech did more
than just remind America of his tremendous conversational charm, he
was the first to emphasize the Convention’s overriding theme:
unity. Clinton showed that he could effectively contribute to his
party, all while reaffirming his magnetic personality that has made
him so endearing.

Loser: Jimmy Carter

In all honesty, there were no losers on
Monday night. Convention planners intentionally loaded the first
night’s line up with all the biggest stars in an effort to
create momentum. Therefore, when compared to superstars Al Gore,
Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D - N.Y.), the aging and
soft-spoken Jimmy Carter was put at a disadvantage he could do
little about. Surprisingly, his speech was one of the most
strongly-worded of the Convention; he called America’s
current foreign policy a “virtually unbroken series of
mistakes and miscalculations.” He painted the darkest picture
of the Bush Administration, calling the policy of preemption
“confused,” and faulting its actions for costing
America “its reputation as the world’s most admired
champion of freedom and justice.” While this rhetoric would
surely have resonated well with the crowd inside the Fleet Center,
energetic younger speakers overshadowed it. Even though his
criticisms of the Bush Administration were of the most passionate
convictions, he was unable to relay that passion to his audience.
Unfortunately for Carter, his moving words fell by the wayside as
he fell victim to his own age and demeanor.

Tuesday

Winner: Barack Obama

The distinguished debutant from Illinois,
Barack Obama, was the biggest winner of the week. The 34-year old
state senator and U.S. Senate candidate carved a wide niche for
himself by delivering what was arguably the best speech given at
the 2004 Convention. Proving himself a master of rhetoric, his
repeated emphasis on the United States of America drew thunderous
applause and reinforced the Convention’s “one
America” theme. More than any one person, Obama came across
as genuine, a rising star inspired by a unabiding faith in the
American dream. So successful was his speech that by the next day,
Boston and the Fleet Center were buzzing with speculation about a
future White House bid.

Loser: Teresa Heinz Kerry

Dull and duller. While Teresa might have a
feisty side — telling a reporter to “shove it”
earlier in the week — her speech on Tuesday might well have
put the audience to sleep. Even though dedicated delegates heaped
praises on Heinz Kerry, the fact remains: her speech was boring and
pointless. Speaking at an excruciatingly slow pace, John
Kerry’s wife rambled aimlessly about a myriad of issues; it
took her nearly half a speech to even mention John Kerry. Her
recollections of life in apartheid South Africa could have served
as a platform to launch a statement on freedom and liberty;
instead, Heinz Kerry delivered an oddly-worded message about taking
a stand and then quickly moved on to a series of unrelated issues,
including Peace Corps volunteers and space probes. Without
direction or charisma, Heinz Kerry’s appearance can be
described as nothing short of disaster.

Wednesday

Winner: Al Sharpton

When you have little credibility to lose,
you really can say whatever you want. On Wednesday, Al Sharpton
threw Kerry staffers into a panicked frenzy when he went
drastically off-script and launched a 24-minute tirade that riveted
the Fleet Center audience. Drawing on his past experiences as a
preacher, “Reverend Al” used a variety of historical
examples to address the struggle for equal rights and explain
African American loyalty to the Democratic Party. He won the most
applause when he directly responded to President Bush’s
assertion that African American loyalty was misplaced: “Mr.
President, in all due respect, Mr. President, read my lips: Our
vote is not for sale.”

Loser: John Edwards