Obama's Acceptance Speech

Simply put, this was the best political speech I've heard since JFK's inauguration. He knocked it out of the park! Obama was forceful, passionate, direct. He did everything he had to do in his address, did everything I and others have been *waiting* for him to do, and did it with style, grace, and eloquence, surpassing even Bill Clinton's speech of the night before, Barack Obama gave notice to the Repugs that here is a Democrat that will fight for what he believes in, here is a Democrat who won't back down from the lies and rumors spread by the opposition; a Democrat, in short, who's not only ready to lead, but actively taking the fight to the enemy for the country that he loves.

When Obama said, "Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and independents across this great land — enough!", the group I was watching the speech with applauded. When he said "John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the gates of hell — but he won't even go to the cave where he lives", there was a sputtering laugh, then loud clapping. And when he said "So I've got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first", we cheered. It's been more than fifty years since a Democrat fought back with that kind of ferocity, conviction, and poise, and I'm very happy to see it happen.

I have had some nagging doubts about Obama's reluctance to take on McCain's lies, to fight back, but no longer. He was more than a courageous defender of his beliefs, more than a forceful advocate of his plans for America, more than a strong leader of his party--he was presidential. We're going to win in November.