Night 2 of the Convention: Barack Obama.

Now here is a speaker I can stand to listen to. He's modulating his voice and he seems to have the speech memorized, so he doesn't have that awful teleprompter stare. He places some emphasis on personal responsibility. Parents need to turn off the television! Hmmm ... he's on television saying that. This can't be good for ratings.

Obama does a great job delivering the speech, even though the words of the speech are quite banal. There are many references to hope. The speech is blessedly short. Cheers, waving signs. Cue the music. Curtis Mayfield's "Keep On Pushing":

I've got to keep on pushing
I can't stop now
Move up a little higher
Some way, somehow
'Cause I've got my strength
And it don't make sense
Not to keep on pushin'