I’ve said from the beginning that I was looking forward to the balloons and the confetti. On the down side, the balloon release didn’t seem to go quite as well as organizers had hoped. On the plus side, our seats (being so very close to the rafters) afforded us the perfect vantage point to see the balloon nets and the confetti pumping machines in action.

So here is one last look at the sights at the final night of the convention in Boston.

When I first arrived in Boston, I wrote a post suggesting that being here might mean missing the story (or at least a big part of it). While I was here, I had the chance to meet many interesting people, to see our democracy at work firsthand and to stand outside the door at some of the city’s most exclusive parties.

There was a lot to learn. There was a lot to cover. And meeting many of the other bloggers was a major highlight.

But I did miss a lot of the story by being here. I heard from a friend last night that many of the cable networks didn’t even show the bio videos that were so effective in the arena. When I watched the speech on television after the fact, the differences in the volume of the crowd and Kerry’s visual presentation were remarkable.

I got the scoop on how this thing played in the arena. But as I’ve said over and over, all that really matters is how it played on television. In fact, all that really, really matters is how it played on television in the living room of an undecided swingstate voter. All the political and media shoulder rubbing aside, the real scoop would have been to blog from one of those living rooms (certainly, our seats would’ve been better).

Throughout the week, I’ve been comparing being at the convention to being in the studio audience for the filming of a sitcom. It is interesting, yes. But all that really matters is how it looks on the tube. Mathew Gross had a similar take (as did many bloggers) when he compared himself to a movie critic who gets to visit the set.

But on almost every level, it certainly was a very worthwhile visit. And now, I look forward January when I expect the Democratic Party to invite us bloggers to cover the inauguration. In the meantime, if you need me, I’ll be in the living room.

Chalk it up to the absence of self-restraint caused by four nearly sleepless nights and a week straight of lugging my laptop, camera and about 72 tchotchkies around Boston, but last night, after the last balloon had hit the arena floor (and I had done a surreal guest spot on Fox Radio), I decided to conduct an exclusive interview with the bust of George Washington that rests on a mantel in my hotel lobby. I could only get in a few questions (mostly because a confounded hotel doorman approached), but here is the transcript.

Electablog: There’s been so much talk of the partisan divide. Is it a problem?

Washington: It’s true we haven’t seen it this bad in years, but as long as Revere lets us know they’re coming, we should be OK. Worst case scenario, we always know we can count on the French.

Electablog: Any thoughts on the whole gay marriage controversy?

Washington: Look, I don’t know what Jefferson has been spreading around this time. But let me make this very clear. A threesome is not gay.

Electablog: There was a moment in the early days of this Republic when you could have essentially become president for life. You passed. How important was that decision?

Washington: It was the most important decision of my life. But the struggle is nowhere near over. I hear that John Adams is thinking about running for president and then having his son become president a few years later. Anything like that would obviously be a disaster.

Electablog: If there is one message that you could pass on to future generations of Americans, what would it be.

Washington: Whatever you do, don’t let the Tony Danza talkshow happen.

Electablog: Well, thanks for taking the time.

Washington: No problem. Hey, how about if you stuff me in a suitcase and move me over the mantel at the Ritz?

For days if not weeks we’ve been questioning John Kerry’s charisma, television charm and speech-giving prowess. The moment of truth came tonight in the Fleet Center after a week of endless build-up.

And the result?

It just didn’t matter. The speech was well written and he pulled it off. But that’s not what this was about.

Kerry tried to rescue the meaning of patriotism:

“We are here to affirm that when Americans stand up and speak their minds and say America can do better, that is not a challenge to patriotism; it is the heart and soul of patriotism.”

But that’s not what this was about.

John Kerry tried to put religion back where it belongs. In our homes and hearts and not as the core of our policy.

“I think of what Ron Reagan said of his father a few weeks ago, and I want to say this to you tonight: I don’t wear my own faith on my sleeve. But faith has given me values and hope to live by, from Vietnam to this day, from Sunday to Sunday. I don’t want to claim that God is on our side. As Abraham Lincoln told us, I want to pray humbly that we are on God’s side. And whatever our faith, one belief should bind us all: The measure of our character is our willingness to give of ourselves for others and for our country.”

But that’s not what this was about.

John Kerry hit upon one of my favorite points. Even when I first got into politics, I never understood the endless attacks on so-called pessimism. The idea has been that if you talk about what’s wrong with the country or your community, then you’re being pessimistic and un-American. The way I look at it, government is there to help fix what’s wrong. I don’t need my President to tell me what’s right. If it’s morning in America, I can open my curtains and see it for myself. I want government to bring the umbrella when it rains.

“We’re told that outsourcing jobs is good for America. We’re told that new jobs that pay $9,000 less than the jobs that have been lost is the best we can do. They say this is the best economy we’ve ever had. And they say that anyone who thinks otherwise is a pessimist. Well, here is our answer: There is nothing more pessimistic than saying America can’t do better.”

But even that’s not what this night was about.

The irony of the biggest speech in John Kerry’s life was that by the time he took the stage, words didn’t matter. Kerry, along with his swift boat comrades (wouldn’t it be nice if all vets could have this kind of week?) and the video biography pieces (the best political messaging I’ve ever seen), reframed the issue.

This was a night about deeds and behaviors. As Kerry said in a not too subtle swipe at Bush, “Strength is more than tough words.”

Up until now this election has been about George W Bush. And up until now, this week has been about whether or not Kerry could speak the lines.

By the time Kerry “reported for duty,” he had already successfully (and I’d say surprisingly) reframed both the former and the latter.

As I wrote above, for days if not weeks we’ve been questioning John Kerry’s charisma, television charm and speech-giving prowess. Tonight, John Kerry and his team set us straight by reminding us that we had the question wrong.

Both Kerry daughters were hits. I don’t know how critical the speeches of the children of the candidate are in the end. But they did a solid job.

And if this thing somehow comes down to a live debate between the Kerry daughters and the Bush twins, it’ll end in a landslide.

This isn’t particularly important, but does it strike any of you message-wonks out there as strange that they picked tax evading, pot smoking (both of which, for the record, I’m totally game for) Willie Nelson to play ahead of the last set of speeches?

I half-expected to see him backed up by Keith Richards, Courtney Love and Jacko after being introduced by Robert Downey Jr.

If we’re going to push things in this direction, we might as well break out Janet Jackson’s other breast.

At least the networks would start giving this thing some heavy coverage.