Stepping into a Trap

What would Martin Luther King Jr. think of the ancient Greek temple replica Barack Obama is set to give his nomination speech from? Invesco Field, the 75,000 people idea, that was bold. It is the 45th anniversary of the “I Have a Dream” speech, but does he have a Charlton Heston fantasy he is living out tonight?

Last night was great — bravo to Bill Clinton for a huge speech on many levels, I didn’t think the Big Dog had it in him. Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.) was smashing, everyone was weeping, and his attack on Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) finally filled in the large blank at the Democratic National Convention. I even thought the surprise Obama drive-by to rally the troops was a great touch.

But the Hollywood gimmick planned for tonight sounds really wrong. The expectations about the speech are already a Mile High, as everyone keeps joking. But the set sounds like a trap for a Republican commercial to me — this time I think I can see flashes of Madonna in strange get-ups romping around a similar stage. Come on, admit it, you can too.

We thought that the “Vero Possumus” lesson had been learned. The fake seal was embarrassing, the staffer was fired and the whole incident felt much like looking at a possum, something you don’t forget. Just what is going on here?

I WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK OF THE DEM CONVENTION! Ask A.B. returns tomorrow as we wrap the convention, discuss John McCain’s VP pick, and look to the Twin Cities next week. Write to me at askab@digital-staging.thehill.com with your questions and comments. Thank you.