A Star Is Born?

(Political Animal)  A STAR IS BORN?.... It's not unusual at a major party convention for an unexpected speaker to stand out and cause people to take notice. For this person, the convention is something of a springboard, generating "buzz" that can last for quite a while.

As it turns out, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D) fit the bill quite nicely. Josh Marshall noted last night, "Can we just have Brian Schweitzer give all the speeches? Please? I'll do anything." Markos added, "Now do you guys see why I champion Schweitzer so much?"

Here, in particular, is the soundbite you're likely to hear more of: "We simply can't drill our way to energy independence. If you drilled everywhere, if you drilled in all of John McCain's backyards, even the ones he doesn't know he has, that single proposition is a dry well."

The LA Times' Peter Wallsten added that party activists "got a glimpse Tuesday of a surprising new breakout star: a jovial, round-faced warrior with a bolo tie who managed to attack Republicans while keeping a smile on his face."

Keep an eye on Schweitzer. We're likely to hear more from him in the future.