By now I’m sure that you’ve heard/seen/read about the Democratic National Convention that’s concluding tonight in Boston, MA. I haven’t written about it until today because, well, there wasn’t exactly any suspense in who was going to be the Democratic nominee.

Instead, one of the themes that’s been emerging from the convention that I find most interesting is how all the Democratic speakers at the convention have deemphasized their attacks on Bush and his administration and instead, are trying to focus on the positive message that the Kerry-Edwards campaign wants to deliver to “mainstream” voters.

As a tried-and-true liberal, I can’t help but be a little disappointed by the Democrats “playing nice.” I remember the moment when I became a Democrat and identified with the Democratic cause -- Mario Cuomo’s keynote speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention (ranked as the 11th best speech of all time by American Rhetoric magazine). His eloquence, passion for justice, and hard-hitting stance were truly unforgetable.

On at least one occasion I heard some commentator remark after someone’s speech at this convention something to the effect that while that was a good speech, it certainly wasn’t “Mario Cuomo-esque.” That kind of sums up not just this Democratic convention but the whole Kerry-Edwards campaign in general, I think -- the fire, the passion, and the tough let-em-have-it attitude just isn’t there anymore. It’s been replaced by a “kinder, gentler” liberal message designed to woo moderates, independents, and undecided voters.

I’m not saying that this toned-down approach isn’t a good strategy. At this point, I’ll support whatever it takes to get W out of office. I’m just saying that it’s a little sad to see how the liberal/progressive tradition apparently has run its course in American politics . . . or has it?