I finally was able to watch some of the Democratic National Convention last night, and I was impressed with the speeches offered by Bill Clinton and John Kerry. (Evan Bayh, on the other hand, did a good job of highlighting why shouldn’t have even been in the running for the Vice Presidential candidate).

I particularly liked the way Kerry reversed the flip-flop meme that targeted him to settle it on McCain instead (transcript from Crooks and Liars).

I have known and been friends with John McCain for almost 22 years, but every day now I learn something new about Candidate McCain. To those who still believe in the myth of a maverick instead of the reality of a politician, I say let’s compare Senator McCain to Candidate McCain.

Candidate McCain now supports the very wartime tax cuts that Senator McCain once called irresponsible. Candidate McCain criticizes Senator McCain’s own climate change bill. Candidate McCain says he would vote against the immigration bill that Senator McCain wrote.

Are you kidding me, folks?

(Laughter, cheers, applause.)

Talk about being for it before you’re against it!

(Cheers, applause.)

Let me tell you, before he ever debates Barack Obama, John McCain should finish the debate with himself.

McCain has reversed himself on nearly all of the issues that created his supposed “maverick” status. I think pointing out his inconsistencies, along with highlighting his general lockstep agreement with Bush, is the best way to persuade voters not to choose four more years of the same.