Indeed, Petercraig. Are these sites getting more and more like the scourge of the 24 hour television news cycle, seeking more and more outliers to have something to talk about?

The abstract for this opinion made Scahill's criticism out to be Biden's, which made for a very skewed introduction. Not a good omen for NOC.

I always thought the main purpose of the conventions, other than selecting the parties' nominees, was to get the party members, campaign workers, and volunteers revved up and eager to give 110% to snaring voters and getting out the vote during the final two months before the election. OF COURSE Bin Laden was mentioned frequently during the Democratic convention; his elimination was an Obama triumph. By the same token, OF COURSE Bin Laden received scant attention during the Republican convention; his escape was a significant Bush failure, and something the Republicans would prefer to be forgotten.

Who (other than Mr. Horn) would denigrate Joe Biden for his victorious shout that "Bin Laden is Dead and General Motors is Alive"? A double Obama victory.

Come on, Mr. Horn--get real.

Steve Horn strikes me as a bit naive, like an idealistic teen-ager who hasn't met the real world yet. While one could certainly wish that money had no significant part in either of the political conventions, to criticize the Democratic party convention, after the "jingoism" and me-first platitudes and hypocritical attacks of the Republicans in their meeting, is hardly fair or pragmatic.

Of course the DNC would try to emphasize the positive accomplishments of the sitting president, after the viewing public had seen the harsh criticisms of the Republicans the previous week. What did Steve Horn expect the Democrats to do, sit around singing "Kumbaya" and passing the collection plate?

Remember,if you will, that it was Bush who ignored the warnings of the outgoing president about the serious threat from bin Laden. It was Bush who named bin Laden as our most wanted criminal, and swore that he would seek justice and get him, no matter what it took.

Then Bush let bin Laden get away because he was too focused on the unnecessary war against Saddam Hussein. It was Bush (and Karl Rove and his buddies) who defeated John Kerry by convincing the voters that they would be safer with Bush at the helm. (How ridiculous that was!)

Yet he left office with bin Laden still alive and a threat. So OF COURSE the killing of bin Laden was touted in the Democratic convention. What did Horn expect? This is supposed to be a serious critique of the President or the DNC?

And the American public was traumatized by the events of 9/11 and they DO want a president who will keep them safe and secure. Naturally, Steve Horn!

At least Obama ended the war in Iraq. At least he's committed to getting out of this endless war in Afghanistan. At least he got the man who masterminded the 9/11 attacks, and killed many of the top figures in al Qaeda. And he's not rushing to war with Iran, but trying to solve the conflict by more peaceful means.

I want to see money having less power with the Democrats. Too many of them are sleeping with the enemy. But keep in mind who has the advantage in this election because of a ridiculous ruling by the conservative Supreme Court. Romney/Ryan are drawing far bigger donations than Obama, and they are largely from a collection of fat cats who hide behind closed doors. Keep in mind whose agenda serves the best interests of the 1%, to the detriment of the 99%.

So, grow up, Steve Horn, take off your rose-colored glasses, and help us elect the only chance we have to keep the extreme right wing from taking over the government and savaging programs that help the middle class and the poor.

If you have two major parties who have lost most, if not all, of their earlier commitment to their ideals, you choose the party whose agenda serves you best, elect their candidates, and then try to reform it. The 1% is backing Romney because he serves their interest best, being one of them himself. They don't have to reform his party, since it suits them fine. But the middle class has to elect the party that serves their interest best, and then set about reforming that party and our weakened system of democracy, by getting the damned money out of politics, whatever it takes (probably a constitutional amendment or two).

"Profit" is the standard by which everything else is measured. As long as those who control our leaders continue to see their margins increased we will have conflict. And if it doesn't come to us we'll manufacture it ala 9/11, Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korea...someplace for the MIC to continue wallowing in their self-aggrandizement of anguish and death.

....and they weren't at the Republican Convention? You don't really believe that , do you?