Remember how Bob Dole made the mistake of promising in his Convention acceptance speech that he'd be the bridge to the past? Bill Clinton responded in his Convention speech that he'd be the bridge to the 21st Century. McCain's speech tonight showed why the "bridge to nowhere" is the perfect metaphor for what the republicans are offering.

I am astonished that the TV pundits seemed so impressed (with a couple of exceptions). The speech was uninspired and uninspiring in both content and delivery. It was a string of cliches from Republican stump speeches. Little would appeal to Independents. I expected McCain to give a much stronger speech promising a break with the Republican past and a bipartisan administration. That speech was  reduced to two lines; the rest must have been thrown out with the draft that would have launched McCain Lieberman. What was there besides the moving if familair personal story? Most of the applause seemed perfunctory until the end. The audience was wondering where he was going half gthe time.

So we're back on the bridge to nowhere. Not only does this metaphor underline Palin's lies about earmarks (even McCain opposed her earmarks) and government waste. It illustrates the bankruptcy of what McCain is offering.

Obama should repeatedly praise McCain's more than half-century of service (as a member of the Washington elite). McCain offers sometthing worse than a bridge to the past. He offers a bridge to nowhere, and America doesn't want to go there. It is too expensive, and it would be impossible to turn back.