I don’t care what your political leanings are; it’s pretty much beyond dispute that the Democrats knocked it out of the park in Denver last week in terms of using their convention to successfully deliver their messages. When arch-conservatives William Kristol and Pat Buchanan are praising you, your work is done.

And since when has it been a bad thing for a politician to be able to draw a big, enthusiastic crowd? Strictly from a marketing standpoint, not a political standpoint: if I’m managing the guy who is filling 80,000-seat sports arenas, I’m happy to let the other side attack him for being too popular.

Now GOP nominee John McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, have a week in the Twin Cities to make their case. I’ll be blogging here every day this week about the GOP convention as a marketing tool: for businesses, for politicians, for activists. Check back often for updates.