This speech had to be great. It was better - Sidney Blumenthal

[acmavm]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/story/0,13918,1273124,00.html

<snip>
Every convention acceptance speech is politically weighted but few have been as burdened as John Kerry's.

The earlier speeches setting the stage for him - Bill Clinton's usual incomparable performance and Barack Obama's stellar debut - only added to the momentousness of his task.

On Thursday afternoon the Democratic party faithful were in a collective state of high anxiety. The test put on a single oration could not have been heavier.

<snip>

The Democrats gasped at his attacks on the religious right and its intolerance, his demand that Bush cease desecrating the constitution, his defence of science against Bush's cynical suppression, his holding Bush to account for his arrogant and incompetent conduct of the Iraq war, and his forceful advocacy of economic equity and national health insurance as a right.

Each phrase, delivered with self-confident force, succeeded in diminishing Bush and lending Kerry stature.

-MORE-

[Fenris]

1. Blumenthal is a bit biased, but he's also very right about the speech.

Kerry nailed it.

[Frances]

2. I agree

I am so pleased that I got to see most of the speeches live. I am watching a lot of the speeches again today. This is the best convention of my lifetime, one great speech after another.

I don't know which was best. Hillary started off on a high note, Bill was superb, Obama hit a home run that even the pundits couldn't hide, the 12-year-old was charming, Edwards, the list goes on and on. Sharpton was moving, especially when he talked about how the right for African American voting being soaked in blood. I think people tend to forget how many people died for that right.

I was so proud of the Dems young people. The Kerry daughters, the Heinz brothers, Cate Edwards and Jack and Emma Claire--were so bright and beautiful and loving and cool. Ann Coulter, eat your heart out.

I think Kerry closed the deal.

[Kahuna]

4. I agree. This was the best convention I've ever watched...

The speeches were great.

[flamingyouth]

3. I agree - I was blown away by the speech, personally

I was totally motivated by it.

[LittleApple81]

5. We always have to go to the foreign press to get a little reality.n/t