Oh No She Didn't! Barack Wins, Hillary Keeps on Truckin'

Obama explicitly complemented his primary colleagues in his speech. "Senator Hillary Clinton has made history in this campaign," he said--at least he recognized the achievements of his opponent, which is more than can be said for Hill herself. "I congratulate [Clinton] on her victory in South Dakota and I congratulate her on the race she has run throughout this contest... When we finally win the battle for universal health care in this country... she will be central to that victory." Very classy. Talk about inspiring the nation (not just those 18 million). Neither he nor Clinton is the reason voters came out--voters' desire for change is. "Let us begin to work together. Let us unite in common effort to chart a new course for America."

Obama criticized McCain's support for the war, and said that the troops need our support. "Meeting today's threats requires not just our firepower but the [power?] of our diplomacy."

"We must once again have the courage and conviction to lead the free world... that's what the American people demand." We're less on board with this idea of America continuing as a superpower. At the end of his speech he called America "the last best hope on earth."

Obama gave a shout-out to Bill Clinton, noting that his presidency was fiscally responsible. He mentioned renewable energy, scientific research, universal health care, improved education--lots of happy-making topics for the Dems. We need jobs that can't be outsourced. He criticized John McCain for not being sufficiently connected with the people. And he said it directly: "I'm running for President of the United States."

"That is a debate I look forward to. That is a debate the American people deserve," Obama said with regard to confronting the Republicans. "What you don't deserve is another election governed by fear... [in this campaign] you won't hear the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge and patriotism as a bludgeon." Competitors are not enemies.

We don't want to come down too hard on one side here, and we actually thought Hillary Clinton's speech was relatively strong (if perhaps misguided). However, Barack Obama--as usual--really stepped it up tonight. And beyond his own words, the chants of Clinton and Obama supporters tonight summed up the difference between the campaigns: "Yes she can" vs. "Yes we can." The belief in collective political strength that Barack Obama has inspired is something powerful that Hillary Clinton--for all her intelligence and experience--has never been able to match. As Obama himself said in his speech, "We may call ourselves Democrats and Republicans, but we are always Americans first." And this American is a little verklempt right now, too.