Grade Night One of the DNC

[heatcharger]

I voted A to tip the scales, but it was probably more like a B-. I'm pleased, though, that most of CNN's spin has been about the messaging and not the heckling.

Meanwhile MSNBC is sensationalizing like crazy, actively searching for Bernie or Busters.

[Averroës Nix]

I voted A to tip the scales, but it was probably more like a B-. I'm pleased, though, that most of CNN's spin has been about the messaging and not the heckling.

It totally baffles me that anyone would watch these events on any network other than CSPAN.

[Gass3268]

I voted A to tip the scales, but it was probably more like a B-. I'm pleased, though, that most of CNN's spin has been about the messaging and not the heckling.

It totally baffles me that anyone would watch these events on any network other than CSPAN.

#analysis

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

D+. An absolute disaster. Started off bad, and never really recovered.

I voted A to tip the scales, but it was probably more like a B-. I'm pleased, though, that most of CNN's spin has been about the messaging and not the heckling.

It totally baffles me that anyone would watch these events on any network other than CSPAN.

Agreed, but Hagrid isn't looking for objectivity. He's just trying to ease his panic.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

I voted A to tip the scales, but it was probably more like a B-. I'm pleased, though, that most of CNN's spin has been about the messaging and not the heckling.

It totally baffles me that anyone would watch these events on any network other than CSPAN.

#analysis

Yeah, and the spin moves the dial just as much as the speeches do. Like it or not, the networks are part of the political conversation and frame the debate. If you want to follow politics honestly I feel like you have to "consume" "news" in this way.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

D+. An absolute disaster. Started off bad, and never really recovered.

I voted A to tip the scales, but it was probably more like a B-. I'm pleased, though, that most of CNN's spin has been about the messaging and not the heckling.

It totally baffles me that anyone would watch these events on any network other than CSPAN.

Agreed, but Hagrid isn't looking for objectivity. He's just trying to ease his panic.

Panic is there, sure. But today I would say my anger trumped everything else.

[Averroës Nix]

I voted A to tip the scales, but it was probably more like a B-. I'm pleased, though, that most of CNN's spin has been about the messaging and not the heckling.

It totally baffles me that anyone would watch these events on any network other than CSPAN.

#analysis

Yeah, and the spin moves the dial just as much as the speeches do. Like it or not, the networks are part of the political conversation and frame the debate. If you want to follow politics honestly I feel like you have to "consume" "news" in this way.

I disagree, and I am going to indulge in a short bit of ranting about it: Not only is the network coverage toxic, cynical, uninformed, and generally bad for your mental health and intellectual well-being as a viewer, it is also far too wrapped up in itself to realize just how unimportant it is and just how few voters are following their take on events "as they unfold."

The immediate reactions that you get on the networks add virtually nothing of value to your understanding of the process. At best, if you are an informed and critical viewer, you might get through their coverage without losing perspective. You might, but, speaking from experience, you probably will not.

To the extent that this garbage really does "drive debate," it is because politicians, media figures, and their assorted retainers are its most avid consumers, snake-eating -its-own-tail-style. In that respect, it really does show us something that is relevant. But that does not tell us much about how we will understand these events even as early as, say, one week from today.

Of course as someone who follows these things closely, I cannot help watching this stuff occasionally. But the only time when it's really worthwhile to leave it on for more than ten minutes or so is election night.

[Crumpets]

I gave it a C. As a Hillbot, I loved it, but the coverage seems to be less-than-glowing of the convention as a whole, and party unity seems a couple months behind where I would hope it would be by this point. That being said, I think by the end of the convention, Hillary will be squarely back in the driving seat of both the party and the election.

[Illuminati Blood Drinker]

B+. Would have been an A without the opening sh**tfest.

[ProudModerate2]

B+
Better than the RNC first day.
Michelle Obama speech was great.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

C. The final hour was fantastic, but before that was horrible for obvious reasons.

[Sir Mohamed]

B+. Would have been an A without the opening sh**tfest.

[Nyvin]

B+,   The start was rocky, but they did get the big name speeches out there that really helped.   Personally I kinda liked Al Franken's quick little speech too along with Michelle's and Booker's.  

Al Franken is actually quite a gifted speaker, but he shies away from it so much to avoid looking like a comedian. 

[fldemfunds]

A-, went off 95% without a hitch. Fantastic speech by the first lady, Booker, Sanders, and others. The 5-10 people chanting got annoying, but you could tell it was a small group.