DAY’S END ROUNDUP

John McCain’s acceptance speech topped Barack Obama’s by half a million viewers, giving conservative bloggers plenty to cheer heading into the weekend. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.) is defending his use of the word “uppity” to describe Obama and a new Rasmussen poll shows voters rank Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) higher than both McCain and Obama.

That 38.9 million watched McCain’s is good news for the GOP, but it would have been great news if the Arizona senator had given a better speech, Hot Air’s Allahpundit writes. Power Line’s John Hinderaker mockingly thanks the press and liberal blogosphere for creating so much controversy around the Palin pick that it drove up ratings.

Westmoreland is defending himself by claiming he didn’t know the phrase “uppity” had any racial overtones, Political Ticker reports. Top of the Ticket doesn’t buy the Georgia Republican’s explanation, pointing out that Westmoreland grew up in Atlanta during the 1960’s, writing that it is “amazing that someone with such a sheltered upbringing could achieve such success in life.”

And while it’s only one poll, Palin edging just ahead of Obama and McCain in favorability is nice for conservatives to see following the Republican Convention, The Corner’s Yuval Levin writes. Andrew Sullivan doesn’t think the poll will mean much for the general, predicting that it’s all downhill from here for Palin.

FROM THE BLOGS:
The Rasmussen Poll – Yuval Levin, The Corner
Trooper Gate Subpoena’s Coming, But Not for Palin – TPM
Westmoreland Says He Was Clueless – Top of the Ticket
What Did the Conventions Change? – Josh Kahn, The Next Right
McCain Bounce Begins Modestly – DemFromCT, Daily Kos
Winfrey: Reports Not True – Political Ticker
The Best Speeches – The Fix
In Defense of ‘Country First’ – Matthew Yglesias

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Results for Young Could Come Late Friday – The Hill
Jobs Report Becomes Campaign Issue – New York Times
Palin Investigation Fast Tracked – ABC