I worked five hours late tonight trying to finish an international proposal before the holiday weekend (to avoid coming in on my day off); I didn't get home till after 11:45pm.
When it became apparent I'd have to work late, I fired up the handy uVerse DVR web interface and set it to record tonight's MSNBC convention broadcast.
Once I got home, I fed the cats, and let the dogs inside, made myself an impromptu dinner of leftovers, opened a Tecate and sat down to watch my recorded convention night. I just finished watching Obama's speech five minutes ago.
All I can say is "Hell yes!" That's the stuff I've been looking for from Barack Obama: the strong, direct statement of principles that I've seen flashes of all along the way.
It was an impressive flexing of American liberal muscles, a smooth synthesis of the aspects of Obama I like best: the serious-minded honesty of the Philly speech "Toward a More Perfect Union"; the ringing echoes of his soaring Berlin address; and the clear-eyed optimistic vision of his stunning 2004 Dem Convention keynote debut. (*)
He stirred patriotism when it was warranted, pointed fingers directly at malefactors, and reinforced his main rhetorical theme about America: We are better than the last eight years. Our country is better than what has been done to us and in our name. The enshrining of corporate interests over individual rights must cease. It's time to stand up and change our path, to begin the trek back to our place -- not 0nly as the economic envy of the world, but as a strong moral leader of the globe.
This was one strong, captivating speech; my heart swelled and my eyes filled to hear it. America stands at the precipice of history ... how does she proceed to best benefit the most? I think the skinny kid from Illinois I just listened to has some damned good ideas, and I really want him behind the wheel of this bus.
(*) I'd never heard of Barack Obama before that keynote speech, but when it was finished, I turned immediately to my wife and ineloquently said "Holy crap! That guy's gonna be President some day," How little did I know then.