It's Minorities and Women Night at the Republican National Convention. In the past hour, more black and Latino speakers have come before the convention than are visible on the floor. (Admittedly, from where I sit, I can only see about two-thirds of the delegates.) Tonight, moreover, the convention planners have brought together Minorities and Women Night with Economic Policy Night -- clearly signaling the delegates that they are under no obligation actually to listen to the speakers. Sure enough, they're not. Then again, why should they? The collection of chestnuts coming from the podium -- Democrats are redistributionists and taxers and spenders and big-government fanatics; Republicans won't raise your taxes and practice fiscal discipline -- come straight from the taxidermist; these lines have been dead for decades. Now a brief film on McCainonomics is screening. "He'll start fast with a summer gas-tax holiday," the film proclaims. Didn't summer end on Monday? Did anyone who produced this film pay any attention to it? Is there a single delegate watching this film? In fairness, there are a few. In greater fairness, there aren't many. --Harold Meyerson
