The Democratic National Convention - Day 3

If the Clintons' popularity within the Democratic Party was being questioned in the build-up to the Convention, that assumption was allayed by Bill Clinton's welcome from the crowd. For the first 3 minutes all we could hear from him were "thank you"s and "please stop"s but it is surely one of the more enjoyable problems he has had to get around over the past few months.

Once he began speaking he was supportive, emphatic in both his support for Obama and his belief that Obama is ready, and engaging.

Vice-Presidential nominee Joe Biden looked and sounded the part. It seems clear that he is carving out a role for himself as the questioner of his "friend" John McCain's potential qualities as a President.

Naturally he talks authoritatively about foreign policy and the conciliatory way that he talks about it makes him seem more of an statesman than John McCain. Though I believe there would have been greater positives to naming Governor Sebelius to the ticket (not least appeasing women voters), Biden certainly seems to be able to fulfill his envisaged role.

And so it goes to the final day and Invesco Field, where we get to see if the superstar can wow a stadium filled with 76,273 people without looking too "Hollywood". Doubt him at your peril.

Washington