Democrats assembled in Charlotte badly needed Bill Clinton to hit a home run last night after a politically woeful day.
And the former president certainly showed that he hasn’t lost any of his formidable speech-making skills — or his ability to go on talking forever.
He proved that he can make a case for President Obama better than pretty much any other Democrat.
But then, just about any time Clinton said “I’m not making this up” — in fact, he was. Certainly his declaration that Obama “is still committed to cooperation” will come as a huge surprise to anyone who’s actually been following Washington since 2009.
Clinton touched on many of the key issues of the race — though with no more coherence than has been offered by the party as a whole during this convention. Rather, it was a night dedicated to revving up the Democratic base, with little interest in appealing to independents.
Which also explains the prime-time slots for Elizabeth “The System Is Rigged” Warren and Sandra “Pay For My Birth Control” Fluke, both of whom provided populist red meat for the adoring crowd.
Clinton and other speakers pushed the theme of “shared responsibility” — which is also popular with the base.
What’s it mean? More government control — and less individual freedom.
President Clinton aside, yesterday’s session evoked memories of the chaos — and hard-left extremism — of the 1972 convention that nominated George McGovern.
Indeed, before the 42nd president took the stage, the convention had to go into serious damage-control mode — hurriedly restoring pro-Israel language and references to God from earlier platforms that had been removed this year.
Astonishingly, it took three raucous voice votes to make the restorations; even then, it was obvious that it got nowhere near the two-thirds support needed for approval.
Until yesterday, the 2012 platform no longer recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s “undivided” capital, as had past platforms. God was completely excised from it.
But the Dems took heat, and were forced to act. Alas, their quick clean-up job reeked of desperation — and left supporters of Israel confused over precisely where Obama and the Democrats stand.
Think about it: If the original language was meant to conform to Obama’s positions, as officials had claimed, then what does last night’s change mean?
Nor was this the only Israel-related controversy to engulf the Dems.
Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz was caught out on two bald-faced lies.
First, she claimed that Israel’s US ambassador, Michael Oren, had privately told her that “what the Republicans are doing is dangerous for Israel.”
Faced with denials from Oren — who’s long fought efforts to make Israel a partisan issue — she accused the Washington Examiner of “deliberately” misquoting her.
But the paper produced an audiotape, proving the quote completely accurate.
Wasserman Schultz offered no apology.
Sometimes the party just dropped the ball — and sent officials scurrying for cover. As they did following Tuesday night’s welcoming video, with its astonishing claim that “government is the only thing we all belong to.”
So much for government “of the people, by the people, for the people” — this was “government owns the people.”
Which is pretty much the same message sent by most of last night’s speakers.
The Dems, in short, are sending mixed and confusing messages — and those that are clear remain profoundly disturbing.
President Obama will certainly have a heavy lift with his speech tonight.