Political conventions are necessary evils. I despise them because they are so boring. Both parties shared a pressing problem of unifying their parties. I would have to say that the Republicans succeeded beyond their wildest dreams and the Democrats are hopeful. In this area McCain’s pick of Sarah Palin was a stroke of genius. She has energized the common folks more than any candidate I can remember. The scuttlebutt is that the McCain campaign received over $10 million in donations after the announcement. She is not perfect but you cannot help but marvel when you hear a few folks say admiringly, “Yes and she is only a heartbeat away!”