Taegan Goddard's Political Wire

July 27, 2004

Democrats Cut Bush's 9/11 Advantage

Andrew Sullivan makes a critical observation missed by most of the 15,000 journalists covering the Democratic convention:

"If the first night is any indicator, the Democrats have played the smartest, strongest card of the campaign so far. First off, they put 9/11 front and foremost, insisting that this is their catastrophe too, and the center of their concerns as well. A vital move. And it was done movingly and well."

"Ironic, isn't it, that the Republican convention was placed in New York in early September precisely to evoke memories of 9/11, and yet, by coming first, the Democrats may have dented that advantage with their innovative commemmoration."

Update: Shawn Chen notes that RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie said "last night's tribute to victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks means that talk of the tragedy -- for better or worse -- is now a 'legitimate part of the conventions.'"

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Taegan D. Goddard is the creator of Political Wire, a political column updated around the clock with the most interesting news, buzz and commentary.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country, including the Washington Post, USA Today, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer and Christian Science Monitor.

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