Written by: Beck

There are 40 minutes left in the evening. Presumably Edwards is planning on speaking for all of them. Wish me luck.

Update: According to Lehrer, Edwards wrote the speech himself. This is being treated as somehow mind blowing. It's also evidently significant that he's staying behind the podium to speak, something he normally never does.

Update: His opening is all about his family. Plus, he threw a line to Teresa Heinz. Now on to the parents. Definitely the softer side of this campaign.

You know, I'd never heard Edwards speak more than a line or two before. I never before realized just how annoying his accent is. His accent, and this is no small thing, trumps both Bill Clinton and Ted Kennedy for most annoying accent thus far.

The crowd has begun chanting. He can't even get into his speech, the crowd is so unruly.

Update: First substantive portion of his speech--John Kerry's war record. I hadn't expected that. He's also using the annoying index-finger-knuckle-thrusting-fist gesture. I think Bush Sr. pioneered that one, though Clinton was a huge fan as well.

Update: Edwards now is calling out the Bush campaign (without actually using the word "Bush") for running a negative campaign. His entire delivery is reminiscent of an attorney standing before 12 gullible people. Even the way it's written, a sort of question-and-answer call out to the audience, reminds me of a trial lawyer.

Update: Blogger seems to be slowly dying. That last update took two minutes to get out. If you don't hear from me after this, well, you know why.

Edwards is now harping heavily upon the only other substantive message from this convention: that everyone in America needs to have the same level of opportunity to succeed in life. The fact that all these self-made success stories, from Al Sharpton to Barack Obama to John Edwards, succeeded because that equal opportunity is already there doesn't enter into it. Creating opportunity would seem to involve hand outs to people who have never tried to take advantage of the already extraordinary levels of opportunity which exist in the United States.

No, these people have nothing new to offer. All they hope to offer is more handouts. The fact that you can get 16 years of education from the government (a free college education is just a Pell grant away) is insufficient it would seem.

Edwards on how we're going to pay for this: "We're going to keep the tax cuts for 98% of Americans. We're going to roll back the tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans, and we're going to close corporate loop holes." At least someone has finally said how they're going to pay for all this. It would seem that now 2% of Americans are going to pay for universal health care for the rest. Let's hope that 2% doesn't decide to take their wealth to Bermuda. Furthermore, I'd like someone to explain to me how the Kerrys, who are quite clearly in that top 2%, manage to pay so little in taxes. That's to say nothing of the issue that I'm fairly certain that "rolling back tax cuts" on 2% of Americans can pay for universal health care for 300 million people.

Update: Edwards seems to think we live in a nation divided by race. I'd be curious to hear from some minorities to see if they agree with that.

He's moved onto the War on Terror section of his speech. "We will safeguard and secure our weapons of mass destruction." HUH? "We will always use our military might to keep America safe." Kerry & Edwards message to terrorists: "You cannot run, you cannot hide, we will destroy you."

Update: The longer Edwards goes on, the less strong his accent grows. This is a good thing.

"We will double our special forces." First firm policy statement on strengthening the military from these guys. Special forces are what percentage of the military? Maybe 1%? This is strengthening the military?

Update: "Hope is on the way." Being repeated. The audience caught on quickly. It would seem that if Kerry wins in November, the world's problems--or at least the nation's--will be solved before the end of the year. Because hope is on the way.

Update: Captain Ed is unimpressed by Edwards' speech.

Update: Wizbang wonders what has become of Edwards' misplaced America.