The Democratic Party held an enthusiastic and successful nominating convention in Denver last week. The question of whether the party would unite behind Illinois Sen. Barack Obama was answered by cheers for Mr. Obama's rousing speech Thursday on the final night of the convention.

The choice of Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden as the vice presidential nominee has provided foreign policy expertise, long experience and combativeness to the Democratic ticket. It also disappointed some supporters of New York Sen. Hillary Clinton: they felt she deserved to be the vice presidential choice after she finished a close second to Mr. Obama in the primaries.

Yet Mrs. Clinton and former President Bill Clinton both gave strong endorsements of Sen. Obama, urging all Democrats to do the same. Mr. Obama is the first black American to be nominated for president by a major party — a historic and moving moment.

This week, the Republicans are scheduled to take center stage at their convention in St. Paul, Minn. Yet the event set for Monday through Thursday may be altered by Hurricane Gustav, which has caused thousands of residents to flee the Gulf Coast.

Arizona Sen. John McCain, soon to be the Republican nominee, said Saturday: "You know it just wouldn't be appropriate to have a festive occasion while a near tragedy or a terrible challenge is presented in the form of a natural disaster, so we're monitoring it from day to day and I'm saying a few prayers, too."

Mr. McCain stole the spotlight Friday by naming Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his vice presidential running mate — a surprise choice. Gov. Palin, 44, a mother of five children who was elected Alaska's chief executive in 2006, is a reformer and conservative. An outdoorswoman whose husband, Todd Palin, is an oil worker and commercial fisherman, Gov. Palin was little known outside her state before Mr. McCain placed her on the Republican ticket.

Voters will be looking to learn more about Gov. Palin, only the second woman to be named as a major party's vice presidential candidate. Already she is being praised and criticized. Her performance at the convention, particularly her speech, will be closely watched.

This is an important election and perhaps a pivotal one. Recent polls have shown the race is fairly close. U.S. troops are fighting on two fronts. The economy is struggling. Energy has become one of the key issues.

Many Americans have said in polls that they are dissatisfied with the country's direction. We owe it to ourselves to pay attention to what the candidates are saying, to research their positions, to understand where they want to lead the country and to vote wisely in November.

Much is at stake.