Toward the end of John Kerry's speech tonight to the Democratic Convention, he said he would say something Franklin Roosevelt never could. Go to JohnKerry.com to learn more about his policies and beliefs he later said. While Kerry meant to convey that there was no Internet back then, you could also say that FDR would be asking, who in the world was John Kerry? After tonight, we know a bit more, but the things we already knew about him were emphasized including, yes, that he went to Vietnam in the war. Now how many times do we have to hear that?

Kerry exuded the optimism every presidential candidate is meant to communicate. By outlining broadly the several directions he wants to take the country, criticizing the Bush Administration on the war in Iraq, and proclaiming that America can do better, Kerry succeeded in conveying a positive message to sway the key undecided voters, whose numbers grow thinner as Election Day draws nearer. However, he did little to blunt the attacks by the Republicans who portray him as a flip-flopper or waffler who originally voted for the war in Iraq.

We know he went to war in Vietnam and he became a prosecutor, but conspicuously missing from his biography or his speech is his 20 years in the Senate. He barely mentioned that significant portion of his life. While he's been to high places in the Senate, including the intelligence committee, he has done little in terms of major legislation.

And what of the speech itself? It seems major lines were taken straight out of the Republican playbook. "Help is on the way" was in both the 2000 Cheney speech and this Kerry speech, as was the line about America would be proud to have John Edwards succeed Dick Cheney as Vice President of the United States. Bush used it in his speech for Cheney and Al Gore. The words honor and dignity have now been replaced with trust and credibility.

The funniest line? I could have been hearing it wrong but I think Kerry misspoke when he said that 25% of Harlem children suffered from asthma because of hair pollution.

Oh well, but in all cases, this convention looks like its been a success. It'll take some time to see if it had its desired effects and one month from now, it's the Republicans' turn.