And then came Zell...

Seriously, I really couldn't sleep because I was so angry about Zell Miller's keynote address last night. The fallout of this speech is going to be dire for the Republicans. How ironic that a speech by a dissident Democrat (in name only) may undo all of their successful bait and switch tactics they've employed this week.

Dave Gergen - advisor to Presidents Nixon, Reagan and Clinton, and someone who understands bipartisanship - was on Larry King immediately following the convention last night, and he was truly disgusted. He immediately noted that Miller received his early political lessons from the segregationist Lester Maddox of Georgia, a fact that I wonder if any Republican operative even managed to ferret out beforehand. McCain's reaction was obviously quite similar, and he even pulled out the "I don't really know Zell Miller very well..." line, wisely distancing himself from the proceedings (he looked like a man in need of a shower).

All I can figure is Miller waltzed into Madison Square Garden and thought to himself, "Finally, I've found a party in which I can really let it hang out. I can quit pretending to embrace all of those 'progressive' ideas and that I like any of those pansy, treasonous Democrats." I kept waiting for some gay-baiting (or even some race-baiting), but he really didn't have to resort to that because he came off plenty nuts as it was. So angry, so bitter, so completely misled about his importance in the world.

Zell, my good buddy, thanks. I'd almost believe that you were a plant from the Democratic party, sent to expose the Republicans' true colors, except you were so convincing. I suspect that you will find that you're the new pariah of both parties this morning ("Hey, he's a Democrat - we barely even know the guy") and your aspirations - whatever those are - dashed against the rocks. Karl Rove is looking for you -- he's gonna need to get those credentials back from you.