By Scott Crass

Smack in the midst of convention season, one major aspect of the bright lights, balloons, podiums, and in an apparent new trend, empty chairs, are the keynote addresses.

A keynote is a speech by an individual, in most cases a “rising star,” on the political scene, the future of the party if you will, being selected by the nominee of their party to reflect on the vision of the party, and ideally, how that nominee will make that happen. The role’s existence is not particularly salivated over by the American people. Indeed, in many instances, it’s selection is relevant only in Washington parlor circles and the media itself. But if past conventions are an indication, each roar and applause line has the potential to end up as a footnote in history, or sometimes significantly higher.

For starters, keynotes have been typically delivered by Presidential wannabees, whether they know it at the time or not.

Obviously, the most memorable keynote was delivered in 2004 by an aspiring 43 year old Senator and future President named Barack Obama, whose line, “we are not the ‘red’ states or the ‘blue’ states but the United States” may have produced the most sustained applause since Robert Kennedy took the stage in 1964 a year after his brother’s assassination, instantly stoking Presidential speculation that never dissipated. Indeed, a picture in John Kerry’s office signed by Obama reads, “John, I’m here because of you.”

Before Obama, the most memorable keynoter may have been two generations before, from another aspiring Senator who also would one day covet the Presidency, though unlike Obama, would never achieve it. The delivery was given by a young Mayor of Minneapolis by the name of Hubert H.Humphrey. The speech was notable in that it called for Civil Rights. Calling it the “issue of the 20th century,” Humphrey asked for the party to “get out of the shadow of State’s Rights and walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights, adding that “there can be no hedging – no watering down.”

Humphrey’s impassioned speech on Civil Rights was notable, as Southern Democrats were soon to walk out and a South Carolina Governor named Strom Thurmond proceeded to form the “States Rights” party.” But the impact of the speech on the platform and the issue was indelible.

After Humphrey, the most phrase turning speech was delivered by Ann Richards, whose line that George Bush” was born with a silver foot in his mouth” may’ve started a history changing vendetta. Bush won the election of course and Richards achieved the Texas Governorship two years later. But some say the speech sparked the impetus for George W. Bush to mount his bid for the same office in 1994. He won, and the rest is history.

Mario Cuomo gave a mesmerizing speech that only begged mention of a Presidential bid. And mention, and as the years went on, more mention. But that came to pass. In 1988, 24 years before Clint Eastwood and Chris Christie converged to become the main attractions of the Tampa festivities, another NJ Governor Tom Kean, invoked the specter of Eastwood in New Orleans, when he accused Michael Dukakis of “talking like Dirty Harry, but acting like Pee Wee Herman.”

The most memorable keynote on the GOP side was Zell Miller, notable in itself for the fact that Miller was actually a Democrat, if only a nominal one (Miller, who by then was concluding his brief but ubiquitous Senate career, had long been an anathema to his own party on nearly every issue, but in particular tax cuts and the Iraq War ).His speech was no different. Declaring that “his country is more important than his party,” Miller declared that Kerry wanted to “defend America with spitballs,” a charge that culminated with a “do you really think that’s true” from Chris Matthews and a bizarre threat of a duel by Miller outside of Herald Square. In the year of the 200th anniversary of the famous Alexander Hamilton-Aaron Burr duel, that came to pass.

For Miller, it was a far turnaround from 12 years earlier. At the 1992 convention, Miller was one of three keynoters (alongside Bill Bradley and Barbara Jordan), and he was credited with enunciating the centrist vision that Democrats were successfully trying to portray to the American people. In 1996, he was still amongst the parties strongest defenders. Tough not a keynoter that year, Miller still proved himself among the parties staunchest defenders, citing the opposition for attacking,” books they haven’t read, movies they haven’t seen, television shows they haven’t watched, and a First Family that they cannot match.”

There have also been keynote addresses that have not lived up to billing. In 1996, Bob Dole was already taking heat from pro-life Republicans for selecting Susan Molinari, a vocal pro-choice Republican Congresswoman from New York whom many were grooming as a future Senate, Gubernatorial, or even vice-presidential candidate. The speech at times drew raucous applause (Molinari said a “Clinton tax promise lasted about as long as a Big Mac on Air Force One”), but otherwise faded into the history books. The same could be said for Molinari’s career. Less than a year after that speech, Molinari abruptly resigned her House seat to accept a job as a co-anchor at CBS.

Harold Ford Jr’s speech had even more anticipation. I often referred to Ford as the “Obama before Obama,” as Obama had already lost a bid for a U.S. House that year, and Ford was already a sitting, and widely respected African-American Congressman. Few doubted that he could go even higher. But much of that faded after Ford’s address. The speech was a dud — a sleeping pill. bout the only laugh-line came at the beginning, when Ford made a joke about eating cookies in remembering Al Gore’s meetings with his father as a young boy. The rest of the speech, shall we say, crumbled.

So how did Christie do? History made record it on the delivery of Molinari and Ford, not for he delivery. Christie’s charisma was on display. But substance? Maybe not. The crowd had awaited the speech anticipating red-meat and, for a Governor who is known for pugnacious straight talk, had to come away disappointed. Few outside the media and the Romney camp actually cared that he made nary a reference to the party’s standard bearer, but many thought Christie’s focus on Jersey was all about setting the stage for a 2016 run, a fact that seemed to bear water with reports having surfaced days earlier that Christie turned down the VP slot because he didn’t think Romney could win.

The Democratic address will be delivered by Julian Castro, the Mayor of San Antonio who is considered a rising star in Texas. He is the first Latino-American to be tapped for that honor, and the implication is clear. Aside from the fact that Castro is seen as a strong Mayor with an eye on the Texas Governorship, turning out the Latino vote is viewed as essential to Democrats in swing-states. And that may be make or break in November.