Whenever we get too high-hat and too sophisticated for flag-waving, some thug nation decides we're a push-over all ready to be blackjacked.

Dean's quick advice to the Democrats on how to have a successful convention--

Wrap it in the flag - Dems get killed every convention on this simple issue. Old glory needs to be EVERYWHERE. Not just on the giant digital display but actual flags. Flags need to permeate the crowd, clutter the stage and fill every nook and cranny of the center.

Make it about McCain - I'll never forget the talk leading up to both of the last major party conventions that they would be kindler, gentler affairs that focused on their own candidate. Instead both conventions would up focusing on Kerry- one buiding him up then the other trashing him. Dems need to trash McCain in at least a 60/40 ration to talking about Obama.

Youth and change - That's what Obama is selling and that's what the convention ought to be adverstising.

What surge? - Don't even discuss the surge when talking about Iraq. Instead focus again on the fact that the initial war was an act of sheer foreign policy idiocy. Anyone that supported that war doesn't have the judgement to be talking about foreign policy or national defense. Period. Bonus- make sure you mention Lieberman by name when pushing this.