Underwhelming
The first joint appearance by the presumptive (aren't you getting sick of that word?) Democratic ticket was a somewhat puzzling affair. Instead of being introduced together by a third party (Perhaps Sen. Dick Durbin, who was looking on?), Obama came out and delivered an over-long stump speech leading into a warm-up for Biden so effusive, it wasn't surprising that at the end of it, Obama couldn't help but intro him as "the next president," echoing what some viewers were undoubtedly thinking.
Then Biden comes out (to the sounds of "The Rising" -- poor Bruce) and, predictably, talks way too long in the sweltering heat. He's a pretty lively stump speaker - more so than Obama lately, although he seemed a bit more pumped up today back in his preferred element of the big-crowd spectacaular). But the whole thing looked lacklustre on TV. Perhaps the crowd was undermiked, but they seemed strangely subdued, save for the reflexive shrieking after every sentence which often makes these Obama rallies hard to watch for a non-groupie.
And for all the lip service to American families from both men, you gotta wonder just how many families were indoors on the last summer Saturday before the start of the school year drinking in this oddly stale bit of political theater. Next Thursday at Invesco Field will surely be more inspirational - won't it?
