Analysts, Historians Give Final Thoughts on Wednesday Night DNC

Read the Full Transcript

• JIM LEHRER:

  Yes. Let's get some closing thoughts now on this third night of the Democratic convention in Denver, not only from Mark Shields and David Brooks, but also from our other studio, our convention historian team of Michael Beschloss, Richard Norton Smith, and Peniel Joseph.

  And, first, let's go to the floor to Judy Woodruff.

  Judy?

• JUDY WOODRUFF:

  Well, Jim, if there was rumbling among Democrats at the first two nights of this convention were a little slow out of the gate, the message was a little bit scattered, I think we've seen in the last few minutes, the last hour or two, that the program tonight, in particular Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, now concluding with Barack Obama, has brought these delegates to their feet.

  There were conversations earlier today with delegates from around the country who were expressing some nervousness, asking, you know, each other, calling home to see how the convention's coming across.

  The sense one gets tonight — and I'm an observer just like you are and have moved around the floor a little bit tonight — the delegates are connected tonight. You just get a sense that they feel energized by what they have heard.

  And I think it came from the message from President Clinton. It came from the introduction to Joe Biden by his son, Beau, as Mark just said, and now. We are seeing an energy here and an enthusiasm that we were only seeing moments of over the last three days. So, you know — and what a set-up for tomorrow night for the Democrats.