The Night After

Two more takes on Obama's speech. Poulos:

I’m much more Andrew on the speech than Ross. I’ve always thought Obama was at his best when he came down from the clouds. The problem’s been that even down in the weeds Obama seems aloof and distant. This doesn’t bother me I like my elites a little unavailable. But it’s bothersome for the campaign. Last night Obama demonstrated that he could deliver a typical nomination speech. Some might hate those things I don’t love ‘em myself particularly but if they hate Obama’s, they probably hate it because it was one hell of a typical nomination speech.

Reihan:

I found it frustrating to watch. And I found the solutions on offer deeply unpersuasive an industrial policy that would create un-outsourcable jobs, subsidized fuel-efficient cars for every American, lower taxes for 95 percent of Americans plus tax breaks for approved entrepreneurs (and a system that would, as Goolsbee and Furman note, generate less revenue than the Bush tax code), attacking McCain for (similarly) raising taxes on some (the rich) and lowering taxes for others (the poor) to increase access to healthcare in revenue neutral fashion, etc. “I will never tax your benefits!” Well, I mean, there’s a consensus that gold-plated plans should be taxed...I want Obama to be strong and wise and shrewd not just as a politician, as he is a masterful politician, but as a leader. I realize that I sound like a bozo. But I recognize that there’s an excellent chance he’ll be the next president. Maybe this is all typical campaign flim-flam. But I don’t think it is.