Can I Get a News Cycle?

I've been AWOL w/ the posting (The DNC has given me plenty other stuff to do). But I wanted to share a few thoughts on Obama's speech last night. I was there - and haven't had a chance to read up all the pundits on it (though Brooks and Noonan and EJ are on my to-do list) - but I have a few thougths on my own before we talk about McCain's VP pander-pick.

I thought Obama started off slow and kind of generic. But he quickly gained momentum. There's a lot to say after 8 years of Bush, and he touched on about all of it. He was specific (although not specific enough for Fox and others who don't want to look at the 12-pt plans on his website - under "policy"), and inspiring, and delivered some great one-liners ("change comes to washington" etc.). I think he was firm with McCain and drew all the right distinctions without hitting below the belt. And I thought he was bold in talking about guns/gays/abortion/etc. in a way that ordinary Americans talk about those issues and in a way that backs up his argument that he is a bridge builder. The point that the other side likes to make "Big elections out of small things" was a poignant follow-up as well. Plus he ended with "hold firmly ... to the hope that we profess" - which was beautiful.

I may have some other thoughts once I read it or re-watch it. But my initial, whirl wind, thought is that you couldn't have asked for a better speech. He lived up to expectations.

Update: Brooks is cynical today - back to his GOP war cries. Last time he used a Steinbeck closing it was way cooler. . . Noonan is pretty spot on