It may be the quintessential question of our time: How the Hell are any of us supposed to work successfully without the tools to do our job? It's a question that rings true for our information-finders in Iraq, for our homeland security officials right here in the Motherland, and for yours truly dutifully reporting on America's Political Conventions.
I regret to tell you that my editors failed … failed to inform me that Barracks Obama was giving his big "I Accept" speech at Investorco Field last Thursday night (or if they did tell me, as they now claim, they then failed to call and remind me Thursday afternoon while I was tasting the luscious fruits of the CNN Fancy Grill).
The shame of this is that the real victims here are you, the readers. I wish I had a "magic bullet" that could prevent these kind of things from happening—but let's not be too hard on my editors. They are under a lot of pressure with budget shortfalls and all sorts of various news stories that seem to break at a moment's notice. They are trying their best, I believe, and we should use an extra dollop of patience and learn to forgive them. I can't hold a grudge forever.
This is very similar to the Lessons of Hurricane Katrina: It's best not to point fingers or even expect apologies. When the damage is done, it is time to move on. That's how I see it.
So I missed Mr. Barracks closing speech Thursday night. Let me tell you, Political Speeches are a dime a dozen in this game, and I guarantee by Friday morning the majority of Americans had already moved on—on to their next TV shows and sporting contests that occupy our days—and the speech of Mr. Barracks was lost to the sands of time.
I forgive my editors and hope you will too. Now let's not look back but forward. On to St. Paul and the next chapter in the great American saga of Politics.