Who Won Conventions Clinton Trump DNC RNC

Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images.

There were speeches. There were protests. And of course, there were balloons. The 2016 presidential nominating conventions are a wrap and the newly minted major nominees — Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump — are now officially slated to square off on the November ballot. Tens of millions of Americans tuned in as Clinton, Trump, and their respective surrogates made the case for why they are best suited to lead the country. Polls released in the days in-between the two conventions showed a tight race. So, who came out on top after two weeks of political punditry and pageantry? Cathleen Decker, a veteran political journalist for The Los Angeles Times, shared her take on the conventions in a series of tweets posted as the Democratic National Convention came to a close. Read on for Decker's thoughts on everything from the speeches to the stage and the state of the race as it stands today.

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Forgive me a tweet spasm on the final convention night. A few, at least.
1. Conventions have a specific purpose: to sell or redefine.
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

2. To the extent that people watched, there was tons of testimony from people about HRC's good deeds/warmth, that helps redefinition
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

3. Tons of time was spent emphasizing Donald Trump, and what speakers from Obama on down see as the threat he poses to America.
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

4. That went beyond the usual criticism to ground-floor level impact he would have on democracy, in their view, imperiling it.
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

5. The question now is whether Trump and Clinton are so well known that no further definition, for good or bad, will stick.
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

6. Hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent on ads. Will we still have at the end two highly unpopular candidates, a coin flip?
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

7. Or will one candidate have dramatically reshaped his/her image over the course of the four days each spent in convention hoo-haw.
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

8. Some observations: This was Clinton's best big speech. Well written and delivered well. Akin to challenge/execution by GHW Bush in 1988.
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

9. Both Bush and Clinton were seeking office after two terms of a popular same-party president who'd overshadowed them. Both delivered.
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

10. In Bush's case, his success at the convention speech improved his future speechmaking/communication. Will this do the same for Clinton?
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

11. Other observations: Staging of Clinton's convention speech was lush. Flags of different sizes, signs, color scheme all worked together
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

12. People can laugh at things like that but they translate in voters' minds. Staging at GOP convention felt more haphazard; speakers too.
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

13 The theatrics of it all won't matter in a blow-out. But they can matter in a close race. After this year, is anyone betting against that?
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

14. Viewers of all convention hours saw tons of people testifying for Clinton or against Trump. You can bet the ads have already been cut.
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

15. That brings up another Clinton advantage: A team that has done this before. Crispness, efficiency, knowing where to get voters, helps.
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

16. Tonight also was something of a Sista Soulja night for Dems: Army general/military endorsing HRC, gun control a big part of her speech.
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

17. Also worth noting: Chelsea Clinton + other speakers offered reams of personal anecdotes about Hillary. Not even Trump's kids did much.
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

18. Personal anecdotes may not matter; the combo of anti-Clinton and economy woes may negate. Just like no minds may change on Trump.
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

19. But re the conventions, Clinton helped herself on a personal level. On a policy level, too little talk of the economy, seems to me.
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016

20. And Trump had a rocky convention and has worked to obliterate any gains with his talk about Russia and continued belligerence.
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 29, 2016