I don’t think Barack Obama needed to have a big, jazzy closing night — the “O-cropolis,” the fireworks, the bells and whistles. Why? Because he has enough jazz and sex — enough pizzazz and charisma — on his own. Some people think he has too much.

Consider Ronald Reagan, in 1980. He was regarded as a Hollywood guy, and the rap against him was that he was all style, no substance — just a bunch of Tinseltown glitz. So his ads were very, very plain: They had Reagan speaking straight into the camera, about some issue — some kitchen-table issue. No music, no Hollywood. Very, very effective.

Biden may need to be sexed up (or shut up). Same with McCain. Obama — and Palin — no.