The fourth and final day of the Democratic National Convention was easily twice as good as the rest of the convention combined.  Howard Dean was more boring than the DMV, but all of the other major speeches were, at the very least, energetic and well delivered.  Even Al Gore’s performance was impressive and memorable, particularly the part about Abraham Lincoln.

This was what the DNC should have been for the last three days.

Despite the impressive performance, there were a number of moments I couldn’t help but shake my head at.  Tim Kaine’s rant about the American dream, for instance, confused me greatly when he said that, “for John McCain the American dream means seven houses-and if that’s your America, John McCain is your candidate.”

Mr. Kaine, please be advised that the official talking point is that McCain is too rich to connect to voters, not that he is living the American dream.  Please also be advised that you’re absolutely right.

Obama’s discussion about his grandfather’s service in World War 2 is a pathetic thing to counter McCain’s POW experience.  He should really, really, really stop bragging about it.  Every time he brings up his grandfather’s war experience I can’t help but ask myself why I care about your grandfather’s qualifications.  What are your qualifications?  Oh, snap.

Second, the Obama’s diatribe about “AK47s” was a burden to my soul.  Barack Obama is a leader in on gun control legislation.  Stop.  Stop now.  I know I’m a conservative and I’m not voting for you but it’s still painful to hear you lie so blatantly.  You really, really don’t make me want to jump the fence when you deliver a bald faced lie.

Third, tonight was the first night I’ve ever heard Obama suggest cutting funding to anything.  Given that he consistently votes in favor of new government programs and against funding cuts to the most wasteful programs in America identified by PART, I was quite surprised to hear that he wants to go line by line cutting government spending.  I’m going to go ahead and call bullshit on that.  If he wanted to cut wasteful spending, he’d have started years ago.

The most uplifting part of his speech, in my opinion, was his appeal to the American people.  He said that despite his efforts to expand government programs, the government couldn’t solve America’s problems alone.  He called for individual responsibility.  He called for Americans to step up and do their part.  He called for what we conservatives call “self-reliance.”

I agreed with him.  Unfortunately, the difference of perspective here is unbelievably vast.  Obama wants to expand government intervention and rely on Americans to fill in the gaps as a last resort.  Republicans want people to stand on their own two feet and use the government as a last resort.  In the end, it’s a choice we’re all going to have to make in November.  Who do you trust more?  Yourself?  Or the government?

If you believe in yourself, vote for McCain.  If you believe in the government, vote for Obama.

At any rate, day four was much, much better than the previous days.  I have no doubt that Obama will get a bump out of today, even if the rest of the convention was a disappointment.