So, I would say the real winner in terms of the Democratic versus Republican National Conventions was probably the voter, especially if that voter happened to be a minority. Even though I tilt Republican, and I do think the Republicans came on stronger than the Democrats this time around, the truth is if you watched closely, both sides seemed to be responding to some changing forces in the electorate.

The political conventions are over and but a blip on our collective memory at this point. News of other events have replaced convention coverage, 9/11 tributes have us reconsidering our priorities, and life has carried on. I watched parts of the Republican National Convention, the main events at least. I think it’s important to know what all sides are talking about so I can make decisions based on facts, my own experiences, and the paradigm I come from. I admittedly watched the RNC with skepticism and found myself yelling at the television a lot. My political counterparts would likely say the same thing. See, we do have things in common! I was fortunate to go to the Democratic National Convention, so my personal experience certainly skews my perspective on both affairs.

Now that both the Republican and the Democratic National Conventions have wrapped up, I don't even need to look at the polls to see which party enjoyed the greater bounce. All I had to do was watch the conventions themselves.

If you've been keeping up with our political posts and videos here on The Stir over the last two weeks, you know that things have been a little crazy around here!

Our Moms Matter crew went to the Republican and Democratic conventions, where we interviewed legislators, cabinet members, celebrities, delegates, and everyday moms. We also held mom panels at each convention, both of which were televised on HLN. And we wrote about it (and will be writing more this week) here on The Stir.

The conventions officially launched the election season for millions of Americans, so we decided to ask our political bloggers this week which convention was best and why. And while I can already guess each of our bloggers' answers, I'm sure their posts will lead to plenty of interesting (and hopefully civil) discussion.

In the meantime, though, which convention was your favorite? Let us know in the comments of this post!

Oh Ann Romney, I just don't know what to say. I'm so sorry. In the competition that is the candidate's wife speech, Michelle Obama obliterated you at the DNC Convention last night. I hear she even did her own writing! As MSNBC's Alex Wagner tweeted last night, "First Lady to Ann Romney: 'I will take your pasta & tunafish in a basement, and raise you a car with rusted holes & a dumpster coffee table.'"

But this is not a competition over who struggled more as a young couple. What stood out to me was how Ann Romney and Michelle Obama each spoke about their experiences as women and mothers and exactly how well their husbands understand their struggles. To hear Ann Romney tell it at the RNC Convention, you'd think Mitt Romney idealizes motherhood without caring much about the specifics -- or truly appreciating how hard she works. Michelle Obama's speech, on the other hand, describes a man who is deeply aware of and empathetic to the challenges and work mothers face.

There was a lot of hype last week at the Republican National Convention over an announced ‘mystery speaker.’ There was much speculation over who the speaker would be, including the possibility of the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin. In the end, it was Clint Eastwood that made our day, coming on stage just before Mitt Romney.

The Academy Award winning actor, producer, and director gave a fun speech about how not everyone in Hollywood is a hardcore liberal, despite the common misconception. He said that many conservatives, by their nature, don’t go around ‘hot-dogging’ their political beliefs. “But they’re there. Believe me, they’re there,” he assured the audience. 

You wouldn't know it from all the arguing online, but there's actually a lighter side to the Republican and Democratic Conventions ...

THE FASHION.

Something about a presidential pep rally sends delegates into patriotic overdrive. From Uncle Sam hats to red, white and blue shoes to elaborate powdered wigs and ballgowns, we couldn't believe how elaborate some of the costumes have been at the Republican and Democratic conventions -- And as your resident dare-taker, you know I had to get in on that action!

Yes, girls, with the help of some very creative CafeMom staffers, I dressed like a delegate, and the results were hilarious! Check out the video after the jump.

Aww. Wasn't it so sweet of President Obama to react so nicely to Clint Eastwood's RNC speech by lobbing such compliments as: "I am a huge Clint Eastwood fan" and "his movies are terrific" and he's "not offended at all" by his speech the other night. I'm sure this reaction was carefully crafted and his media lapdogs will jump all over it as another opportunity to paint Obama as just the greatest guy ever, and See! This is why he needs to be re-elected President!

But that was exactly Eastwood's point in his speech. Just because Obama is a nice guy doesn't mean he deserves to stay in office. Notice that while Obama was busy taking the higher road and saying how great Eastwood is, he wasn't addressing some of the important points that Eastwood and Republicans have continued to raise.