Prime Time

They've saved prime time - 10pm on - when the alphabet networks pick up coverage - for Michelle Obama. This is important - they want to introduce her as Donna Reed to Americans who haven't met her yet. They want to make it harder to pin an anti-American label on her.

Here's part of the email that went out under Michelle's name today:

This week, folks from across the country will get to know Barack and our family a little better. Tonight I'm giving a speech at the convention, and I'm planning to share a few stories about the Barack I know -- the husband, the father, and the man who shares my dreams for our girls, for this country, and for our future.

Before my speech, we're also going to show a video introducing our family to families across the country. Make sure to turn on your TV at 10:30 p.m. EDT (8:30 p.m. MDT) to see it, or you can watch it at www.BarackObama.com.

Michelle will be preceded by a film. This is like 7th grade with all the film strips.

Hillary's name is being put into nomination, and some delegates will get a chance to vote for her, but then the vote will be stopped, perhaps by Hillary, and a request will be made that Barack be declared the nominee by acclamation. This is the plan to avoid embarrassment.

But at 10pm it's not Michelle, it's former Rep. Jim Leach, a Republican who has endorsed Barack. He's a terrible speaker, and the networks are ignoring him. ABC is showing Teddy, but the other networks are doing recaps.

The pundits seem happy with the Kennedy moment, saying this is what got the convention on track, that Kennedy gave things a starting point. But they're at the convention - and when you're at TV events, you don't get to see how it plays on TV.

Chuck Todd, NBC political director, said there's a lot of glossing over tonight, referring to the Clinton/Obama conflict. Here are the two big Democratic families, he adds, handing over the keys to the party to Obama. One eagerly, one reluctantly.

Caroline is on a panel on ABC. Stephanopolous, Diane Sawyer, Charlie Gibson are sucking up on Kennedy drama. It's amazing that Ted was here, says Caroline. Diane - how does he inspire the family, she wants to know. Does he sit family members down individually? No, he leads by example. My children, says Caroline, were inspired by him tonight. Pathetic to think that these used to be news organizations.

CBS is using Katie Couric. She's interviewing Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, who would have made a good VP choice. Americans just need to get to know Michelle, she says. They'll find her to be a wonderful inspiration as first lady. Ugh.

On CNN, they're asking Donna Brazille why Claire McCaskill is giving a speech during prime time. Isn't this an expensive favor to be giving her, they want to know, to let her speak in prime time?