Given the history, the attention, the stakes, the narrative, and the multiple goals…Hillary’s speech tonight was the best political speech I’ve ever seen. Several huge moments delivered in a personal, direct fashion. Historic, by any standard.
This is a rhetorical murderers row, with Bill Clinton and Obama coming up and facing a very high bar. The GOP is going to be the Washington Generals of political speechifyin’ by the end of next week.
If Bill’s speech is anything like Hillary’s, and a true Obama/Clinton coalition forms, there’s no way McCain can win. No way.
Also, I’m not much of a Kucinich guy, and I don’t know how his speech was in person, but on paper it’s devastating. He says it all. And I love the Orange Alert reference.
Pipeline 
I don’t think Bill will top HRC’s speech….. which in the end is a good thing, as she has clearly eclipsed him in terms of political relevance. I think he’ll give a fine speech no doubt. I think he’ll attack McCain on the CIC readiness front in terms of bad judgement, give Obama props for making the right call on Iraq, but stop just short of saying “he’s ready to lead” which apparently are the only words the Media wants to hear (odd to me that Hillary said so much more than that but was the immediate take away and talking points of the McCain Camp).
Obama, on the other hand is preparing to be stunning. He has his work cut out for him I think. And expectations will be high. He needs to pull out some surprises…. and i think those surprises will be policy commitments, a partnership with HRC on healthcare with a timetable, and at least one reach out to the latino community. He needs to abandon the “i’m a regular arugula eating guy like you” …. his wife took that one. He needs a hard hitting policy oriented speech that addresses the myriad concerns of the vaired Dem electorate… particularly those who apparently haven’t heard an entire speech from him…. much less the gamut of his policy prescriptions.
So many people say ‘no wonkishness’ ….. i think Obama’s gift, is that he can pull of policy speak and still _speak_ to the people…..
Boy was I wrong about Bill stopping short on the ‘ready’ turn of phrase. Go Bill!