• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, August 22, 2024

The third night of the Democratic National Convention wrapped up on the 50-yard line, with Coach Walz turning on the Wednesday night lights and reminding Democrats, "It's the fourth quarter, we're down a field goal, but we're on offense and we've got the ball. We're driving down the field."

And what American doesn't like a come-from-behind sports analogy? But the vice presidential nominee went a step further, drawing on his championship high school football coaching skills and advising the people in Chicago -- as well as those watching on TV, social media, etc.:"Our job is to get in the trenches and do the blocking and tackling one inch at a time, one yard at a time, one phone call at a time, one door-knock at a time, one $5 donation at a time."

Like other speakers Wednesday night, as well as on the two previous ones, Walz advised Democrats to not get too giddy with all the happy, happy, joy, joy in the room, and to instead focus on their blocking and tackling.

The Obamas might have put it a little differently, leveraging their trademark humor, as did Bill Clinton, who preceded Walz and advised Americans not to focus too much on the opposition's distortions, misinformation and rhetoric, but what the Republicans actually stand for in this year's election: a megalomaniacal narcissist who has repeatedly put himself before the country and its Constitution.

"The next time you hear him, don't count the lies," Clinton advised. "Count the I's."

"Count the I's," Clinton repeated, adding: "His vendettas, his vengeance, his complaints, his conspiracies. He's like one of those tenors who before walking out on stage...says me, me, me, me, me."