Bizarre Speech Gets Low Marks

Joe Lieberman’s speech was certainly noteworthy, but not necessarily in a good way. Here’s what pundits are saying:

• Lieberman “muddled through” his speech “like a reluctant accomplice,” writes Adam Kushner of Newsweek. Whereas Zell Miller had Republicans whooping, Lieberman gave a languid, golf-clap-worthy address.
• The Connecticut senator probably “has too many parties to make a coherent argument,” theorizes Mark Halperin of Time. Praise of Bill Clinton particularly confused the crowd.

• But it was that very understated manner that appealed to Kyle-Anne Shiver of the American Thinker. “He does not need to rely on theatrics,” Shiver raves. Instead, he seemed genuine, endorsing McCain out of “heartfelt belief."
• Dana Goldstein of the American Prospect thinks Lieberman’s “country matters more than party” line got to the core of the GOP message, but still found his appearance “surreal and a bit sad."