Covering the Convention live gives you a gift: the gift of your own impressions and the counsel of your own judgment. You don’t hear or even see the MSM commentators. It is a blessing and a reminder that most viewers at home don’t necessiarily stick around for hours of cable news chatter.

All that said, we can only speculate what viewers outside the Convention thought and how they reacted. What I can say is that in this hall the audience was enthralled and delighted. That small bit of political business — pumping your base — is not to be discounted. If you can do that while simultaneously speaking in measured tones to Independents and Democrats that is no small thing.

The Democratic Convention tried to ignore the surge. It was the elephant in the room, the issue they dared not address. But perhaps that was a grave error. It left the narrative entirely to the Republicans who rightly painted the surge as a success and John McCain has largely responsible for snatching victory from the jaw of defeat. Perhaps there was nothing the Democrats could say. But isn’t it odd that a candidate would run for President without seriously discussing a current war or defending his opposition to a successful strategy? At some point, someone may ask: are Democrats willing to face reality?

On MSNBC, Newt Gingrich is pitching the GOP as a “big tent” party. He’s noting that, for the second straight convention, a Democratic senator is speaking in support of the Republican nominee, while Rudy Giuliani — a moderate, pro-choice Republican — will be speaking tomorrow night.

It’s an important point, but rather overstated. Sure, many Republicans are pro-choice, but none of them have been on a GOP ticket to date.

Returning from my other duties covering the GOP Convention live on PJTV.com, I have a few observations from the Xcel Center. First, Fred Thompson, evidencing none of the lethargy which characterized his own campaign, utterly electrified the crowd. They had been waiting to hit back at the national media, waiting to reply to Barack Obama’s flimsy slogan of “change” and waiting to hear a contrast on the character issue. He gave it to them — in buckets. Second, Joe Lieberman was scarily effective in the role as debunker of Obama’s bipartisan credentials and, I think, the best spokesman to date for the argument as to why Democrats should put away partisan concerns (and perhaps part of their agenda) to vote for McCain. Third,  some of the largest applause lines were for Sarah Palin. This crowd wants to support her and wants to ride to her rescue. Tomorrow will be an amazing moment of political drama when she enters the hall.

I think both speakers tonight did what Obama did not at his own Convention — make the argument against their opponent without venom or meanness. Dissmissiveness maybe. But not venom.

The last five or ten minutes of Joe Lieberman’s address was the show stopper tonight. His direct appeal to independent and Democratic voters set a new tone in this campaign. In effect he said, amid uncertainty, go with the man you know. He very elegantly made it clear that McCain was unlike the sitting Republican president — which was greeted with applause. How different this was to Zell Miller’s wild and angry (and admittedly funny) tirade at the 2004 convention. Lieberman said what is rarely said at a partisan convention: even if you disagree with what McCain says, you know in your heart you can trust him with the country. I’m not sure that this is enough to tip the balance. But it set the focus for the remainder of the campaign as Republicans go after the gettable undecided voters

Bill Kristol just made the point on Fox that if you were a visitor tuning into this convention tonight, you wouldn’t necessarily know this was a Republican convention.  He’s right.  Tonight was a highly non-partisan night, and not just because of Joe Lieberman’s speech.  The Republican brand is not in good shape this year–and John McCain has never reflected that brand perfectly anyway.  Obviously the McCain camp has figured out that they will not win in November as Republicans but as reformers. 

“At times like this, we don’t need party unity, we need national unity.” This is really the fall theme.

“John McCain will be a president our allies will trust and our enemies will fear.”

On MSNBC, Next Gingrich is pitching the GOP as a “big tent” party. He’s noting that, for the second straight convention, a Democratic senator is speaking in support of the Republican nominee, while Rudy Giuliani — a moderate, pro-choice Republican — will be speaking tomorrow night.

It’s an important point, but rather overstated. Sure, many Republicans are pro-choice, but none of them have been on a GOP ticket to date.

“When colleagues like Barack Obama were voting to cut off funds for American troops on the battlefield,” Lieberman says, McCain fought for the surge — and now thousands of American troops are “coming home, and coming home with honor.” — Joe Lieberman

Lieberman is surprisingly effective when he drops the diplomacy and turns to criticism.  He really needs to be pushed out there to talk more about what Obama has failed to get done in Congress. Comparing Obama unfavorably to Clinton was a clever tack, which only he could pursue.

Joe Lieberman goes on the warpath against Barack Obama. He never reached across the aisle — unlike Bill Clinton! Lieberman gets Republicans to applaud Bill Clinton!

…then I’m Michael Moore’s favorite Democrat.” — Joe Lieberman

“I’m here to support John McCain because country matters more than party.” — Joe Lieberman, burning his bridges with the party in which he was a leading light for decades

Just like Fred Thompson, Joe Lieberman keeps clearing his throat.

“John McCain can’t raise his arms above his shoulders. He cannot salute the flag for which he sacrificed so much…So tonight we salute him and his vision.”

“Now our opponents tell you not to worry about their tax increases. They tell you they are not going to tax your family. No, they’re just going to tax ‘businesses!’ So unless you buy something from a ‘business,’ like groceries or clothes or gasoline … or unless you get a paycheck from a big or a small ‘business,’ don’t worry … it’s not going to affect you.”

Great stuff. Where was this guy eight months ago?

He would actually prefer it if John McCain were president.

Fred Thompson’s speech has quickly rebounded, and the connection he is drawing between McCain’s distinguished military service and leadership is extremely compelling. After telling McCain’s wartime story, Thompson said, “It’s pretty clear there are two questions we will never have to ask ourselves, ‘Who is this man?’ and ‘Can we trust this man with the Presidency?’”

This adds depth to the experience argument. It’s not just that McCain has served longer in the Senate than Barack Obama — it’s that he’s a known and proven quantity, whereas Americans still feel that they hardly know Obama.