"a more considered take"?

Justin webb promised "a more considered take" on John McCain's speech and here it is:

"Disappointment?

* Justin Webb
* 5 Sep 08, 05:39 GMT

Here's the reaction from the heartland.

And this from the unconvinced.

I have to say, from my vantage point next to the DC delegation, my overall impression was that the audience in the hall were disappointed. The whisper uttered by a strong man can work in a big hall but he seemed rather engulfed and hemmed in. He was never in control.

The biggest cheers were for Sarah Palin, but what does this say about his dominance of his own ticket? She, after all, disagrees with him on one central platform item (man-made climate change) and one suspects on others as well.

That having been said, he has a certain grace, an inner strength that I suspect will have played well where serious people were watching carefully and wondering about leadership - particularly if their fears are about war and terrorism rather than the economy.

As I was leaving, the North Carolina placename fell (or was pushed over) and struck me a glancing blow before banging heavily on to the head of a woman standing next to it. Medics appeared and there was some concern, though she's OK I am glad to say. But a lucky escape for her - and for the convention..."

Do compare this with his considered reflections on Barack Obama's speech:

"A clever performance

* Justin Webb
* 29 Aug 08, 06:16 GMT

He brought it off. I thought at one stage that the Doric columns (if that is what they were) might fall on him (metaphorically) but they did not. He is too clever for that. His supporters and those sympathetic to him are breathing a sigh of relief and can be optimistic that the speech might really assist his cause, as the New York Times seems to believe.

Old versus new. That was an interesting theme as well and, if they handle it carefully (no bashing grandpa), it could be a rich seam.

As for this - could they perhaps just miss the Bush-Cheney bit and then carry on? What a shame that would be for John McCain."

Justin Webb cheerleading for Barack Obama and the Democrats as he has been for a while now. There would be such joy in the heart of Justin Webb if his months of hard work on Barack Obama's behalf come to fruition and Barack Obama becomes the next President of the United States of America, please note the word "if". I wonder how Justin Webb, James Naughtie and the rest of the BBC's "reporters" at the conventions will react if John McCain is elected, maybe they will put up a poster in their newsroom of John McCain as Adolph Hitler as someone at the BBC did with George W Bush.