F.L.A.W.L.E.S.S.

As I sped down I-270 to get home to watch the speech live, I caught the first few minutes in my car, which only made me speed just a little more. Tonight's speech was amazing, and shows just how much Barack Obama knows how to arch a narrative.

It was tougher and more aggressive than most of his other speeches has been, and one of the best things I noticed was that he has decided to put a teleprompter in the center aisle. Generally, when he gives a speech and looks from left to right, tonight he looked into the eyes of the American people and told them exactly why we need to move past the failed Republican politics of the past, and what he would do to defend the country and the constitution of the United States.

While he didn't bust out with pie charts and 10 point plans, he laid out in no uncertain terms the choice we as Americans face this year. From a policy which neglects the youth of America and asks for the youngest Americans to provide for themselves, to a policy which brings our nation's education system to the same level of importance as our nation's military.

Now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy. Michelle and I are only here tonight because we were given a chance at an education. And I will not settle for an America where some kids don't have that chance. I'll invest in early childhood education. I'll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries and give them more support. And in exchange, I'll ask for higher standards and more accountability. And we will keep our promise to every young American -- if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford a college education.

From a policy which tells Americans who are sick to fend for themselves, to one which says that we should marshall the power and size of our country to give those Americans the options they need to get the health coverage they deserve.

Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don't, you'll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves. And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.

From rhetoric which talks about following Bin Laden to hell, to a willingness to follow him to his cave before he dies of old age.

For while Sen. McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11, I stood up and opposed this war, knowing that it would distract us from the real threats we face. When John McCain said we could just "muddle through" in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights. 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.

Sen. Obama fed off the Republicans efforts to build low expectations for a concrete vision for Americans, and turned it around to put the onus on a party morally and ideologically bankrupt of plans to rebuild America to its former greatness.

Sen. McCain has a tough road ahead of him, and while the GOP convention will be far harder, more vitriolic, and filled with hate than the Democratic convention, I will continue to believe as I did in January of 2007; that the American people are good enough to overcome this petty politics of division that we have succumbed to in the past.

Update:

Best conservative reaction? Pat Buchanan saying it was the best convention speech he had ever seen.

Most laughable, knee jerk, vitriolic conservative reaction? This guy...though reality starts to sink in towards the end of his rant.

Update II:

The AP Asshattery continues...this time with some dude named Charles Babington. Did the McCain campaign or Rupert Murdoch buy a controlling interest in the Associated Press?

Update III:

Kleinheider has the roundup.