Some folks in Massachusetts may be wondering, "why are the Democrats putting Elizabeth Warren in one of the small windows of live broadcast-TV coverage tonight at the convention?"
Especially since, by my internal MassachuSensor (TM, patent pending) readings, 47 percent of Commonwealth residents now cover their ears and shut their eyes when Warren starts talking to them during a commercial break.
So, for starters, part of the explanation is that most of America hasn't actually been subjected to 20 Warren-talking-to-camera ads a day. So she's still within her freshness date for them.
One big thing is that progressives nationally LOVE E-Dubs. The reason for this is slightly beyond my capacity for understanding, but I mean they fall over themselves fawning over her, as I have reported more than once before. There's a reason MSNBC shows book her so often I swear they're going to start running one of those stupid "Lean Forward" station promos for her. (Maybe that's why I find her spots a little annoying -- they're a little reminiscent of those UNBELIEVABLY annoying MSNBC spots. Memo to Doug Rubin: try one with Warren demanding "they were the ones who ate the pie!!!")
OK, where was I? Oh, yeah; if the national progressives love her to death, you want to feed her to them sometime during the convention. So there's that.
Also, those progressives love her so much they have poured a really amazing amount of money to her, through PCCC, ActBlue, and other conduits. Which means you really want to feed her to them.
But of course you could easily put her in non-broadcast-TV prime-time hours, since all those progressives will be watching on MSNBC anyway.
So here's where it's important to remember that, outside of Massachusetts, most people think of Elizabeth Warren as the feisty do-gooder whistle-blower from 60 Minutes, who forced Washington to set up a consumer-protection office to fight for people against the evil banks and credit-card companies.
And there is really no better speaker around for A) blasting Wall Street, B) blasting obstructionist Republicans, C) praising Obama for being on the consumers' side, and D) praising congressional Democrats for passing Dodd-Frank. Plus -- for those who are open to the message -- she's very good at countering the Romney-RNC's "We Built That" message, which she essentially originated in the election cycle.
Agree or disagree with her narrative; support or oppose her for US Senate; think what you like about her character. For this purpose, she's the right messenger for this place and this time. If she nails it. Which she probably will, at least fairly well.
And if she doesn't nail it, who cares -- nobody will remember once Bill Clinton speaks later in the hour.