6. On the final evening of the Republican Convention, I sat in a suite with Medal of Honor recipients. I rarely find myself speechless, and never find myself intimidated. I did then. I was in the presence of real heroism, of men who really had done great things. I didn't know what to say to them. I was like a kid seated next to his greatest sports or movie idols. I wondered, though, how many Americans, if given a choice between spending an evening with Medal of Honor recipients or movie stars would choose the former.
7. As noted, the Democrats waved many flags. At Invesco Field, where Obama addressed 75,000 supporters, the Democrats gave all of them an American flag. According to The Denver Post, thousands of those flags were left behind or in garbage bags. The Democrats say they intended to pick them up days later for other events. I don't believe them -- not because they are not patriotic (the people I was with at Invesco Field love America), but because they are generally tone deaf to patriotic symbols. My one souvenir from the Democratic Convention is a flag I found on the floor by my seat at the stadium. I instinctively picked up a flag that had fallen and took it home. That is no longer a liberal instinct.
8. The exit from Invesco was chaotic. No provisions for transportation were made, and tens of thousands of people walked long distances. We were literally fenced in until someone tore down a segment of fence, and thousands then climbed over concrete barriers to get out.
9. History will judge whether Obama made a wise decision to deliver his acceptance in a football stadium in front of 75,000 adoring fans. A good argument could be made that it is not his superstar status that he should be emphasizing, but his gravitas.
10. After attending the Democratic Convention, the lack of blacks (and Hispanics) at the Republican Convention was jarring. Former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman made serious efforts to bring African-Americans into the party, but apparently to little avail. Given the troubled state of virtually every inner city governed by Democrats and the Democrats' opposition to school vouchers, one would think more blacks would at least give the Republicans a try. Not this year.
11. For the first time in generations, one party's ticket has no military experience. It does, however, have two lawyers. And neither of the Republican nominees is a lawyer. These facts are not coincidental.
12. After my debate with Air America's Thom Hartmann in Denver, a number of those present -- all Democrats -- commented on how surprised they were at how intellectual the arguments I, the conservative, offered were. This is only because, in general, most liberals see, hear or read conservative arguments far less often than conservatives see, hear and read liberal arguments.
13. What Sen. Joe Lieberman did -- speaking at the Republican Convention on behalf of its presidential nominee -- took immense courage. It is likely that many longtime friends have abandoned him. What he did is also quite dramatic. He was, after all, the Democrats' nominee for vice president of the United States just eight years ago.
14. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at both conventions. But those watching on television miss little. In fact, everyone I spoke to who watched McCain's speech on TV thought it more moving than many of us who were there.