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CHARLOTTE, NC — Twenty-eight years ago, then New York Governor Mario Cuomo gave a keynote address to the Democratic National Convention in San Francisco with a speech that will be remembered for the ages. But that speech, which focused on the demise of an industrial economy, was built on passion and emotion.

Last night, Former President Bill Clinton gave a speech to delegates that will be remembered for the ages, but for different reasons. It was a speech based on facts and logic. It was a speech which established protocols for how voters should think about the issues. It was also a tactical speech that counseled voters on how they should evaluate the Romney message which will be delivered not door-to-door but over the airwaves. It was Bill Clinton at his best; he didn’t just speak — he taught.

For those seeking to make an argument in an era of hyperbole, the Clinton speech — indeed perhaps a closing argument — is a lesson in how to organize facts and raise questions. It is a lesson for whistleblowers – a lesson for those who are sometimes caught up by emotion and argue passion rather than logic.

CHARLOTTE, NC — Inside the Democratic National Convention here it is all about winning voters in the State of Ohio. Democratic strategists now believe that if President Obama does not carry the State of Florida, Ohio is a must-win state. While Democratic leaders are guardedly optimistic about Obama’s chances in this rust belt state, they are taking no chances.

While the focus of the presidential race has been on healthcare, the Obama people refocused the debate last night beginning with a speech by former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland who reminded the packed house at Charlotte’s Time Warner Center that a billion dollar bailout by the Obama administration saved the US auto industry. The Democrats only hope that the Republicans challenge them on the wisdom of the bailout as the return of General Motors as a viable entity and the saving of thousands of US jobs is evidence that the bailout was a success. Democrats here believe this is a debate they will win.

Though the bailout meant job preservation, only once during the entire evening was the word “union” mentioned. That reference came during a speech by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. There is a diminished union presence at this convention which sets it apart from those in Denver and Boston.

Tonight Bill Clinton takes the podium in day three.

CHARLOTTE, NC — Inside the Democratic National Convention, the Obama campaign finally picked a mid-west issue that may make a difference in the presidential election campaign. Starting with former Ohio Governor, Ted Strickland, a parade of speakers hammered on the auto industry rescue as a single accomplishment that will be hard for the Republicans to challenge as unsuccessful.

With the Republicans attacking Obamacare, Democrats needed to find something that was an undisputed success. With the Ohio vote in the balance, the auto industry rescue was made a focal point of day one at the Democratic convention. To make the point, the convention planners called upon former Ohio Governor Strickland; although he lost his bid for re-election, he is beloved in Ohio where he also served as a Congressman.

Finding undisputed success stories was the key to day one as Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick reminded delegates of the end of the Iraq war and the elimination of Bin Laden as accomplishments of the current administration.

It was indeed a well choreographed event with the swing state delegations seated in front of the cameras. The states not up for grabs, including California, were seated to the rear of the convention, behind the battery of cameras that were directly in front of the stage.

CHARLOTTE, NC — Somewhere in the air between Washington, DC and Charlotte, NC — the site of the Democratic National Convention which starts tomorrow (September 3rd) — a flight attendant leaned into a cart pushing it up the aisle as the plane tilted upward gaining altitude. I thought of all the people on the plane from delegates, to media, to hanger’s on, this political season is about this flight attendant and working people like her. For all who participate in the political system, there are exponentially more who stand on the sidelines and feel its impact. From the Federal Aviation Administration which makes the airways safe, to the Food and Drug Administration which regulates our medicines and daily nourishment, government regulation touches all of us.

Back in 1968 when Richard Nixon accepted the Republican nomination for President he spoke in favor of rolling back federal involvement in our lives. It reminded me that Republicans have been saying that for years. Yet, Nixon, like those Republicans who followed him, could not escape the reality that federal regulation of the private sector is in some cases essential. Remember, it was President Nixon who signed the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Today Republicans still say they favor less regulation; the only thing that has changed is that Democrats seem almost apologetic for its need. This too is a sad state as the growing business of greed — which has caused drugs to be illegally marketed and worthless financial products to be hawked — counsels for regulation and enforcement. (Of course whistleblowers are integral to the enforcement effort.)

The elephant in the room – as they say – is not the question of whether substantive regulation is good or bad – but how we enforce what is on the books. We live in an era where corporations ask their lawyers not only about the proscriptions of the law but the cost to be paid for the “right” to break it. Of course there is no “right” to break the law.

It is a sad state of affairs when corporations can pay for the “right” to break the law. This is what I was also thinking as I watched that flight attendant this morning.

Senators Orrin Hatch and Tom Coburn have raised some concerns about a multimillion dollar anti-fraud command center opened up today.  Complete with a giant screen estimated to have cost hundreds of thousands, the center will house the HHS’ infamous $77 million dollar computer system which, as of last Christmas, had stopped one check for $7,591.  Peter Budetti, the Deputy Administrator of Program Integrity at the CMS(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services), a.k.a. the fraud czar, said that the center is expected to pay for itself many times over, repeating an old justification for a contract with Northrop Grumman that was also supposed to result in advances against fraud.  He actually had the “chutzpah” (this is a legal term of art) to say that the CMS could learn something from the private sector.  Perhaps when the private sector does business with itself there may be efficiencies, but, when the private sector does business with the public sector, the government gets robbed like an electronics store during a New York City blackout.  In any event, companies like Northrop Grumman are anything but private; take away the government contracts and their cash flow is about the same as a nine year old’s lemonade stand.  All this goes to show that Budetti may be better served by finding an honest nine year old – hopefully not one of Senator Hatch’s grandkids-for a government contract!

As Groucho Marx said, “Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies.”