Electrifying

Democracy Now is playing excerpts of the speeches of the various candidates from last night; and I have to say that Obama's speech was electrifying. As Josh Marshall says, "It made me think again of 2004." I have been leaning Obama for a long time, and despite his best efforts to turn me in another direction, he hadn't yet succeeded. Just now, he actually drew me back towards him for positive reasons.

I'm tired of having candidates who have the charisma of a wet paper bag. I'd like to have a candidate who can speak and inspire people -- using the "bully pulpit" is one of the most powerful tools presidents have for change. (And the fact that he sounded more progressive in that speech helped too.) And if Obama can genuinely reach across the aisle, he has a better chance of making change happen. (At least that seems to be his theory of change -- and it's one I find convincing.)

So, yeah, I'm excited. I was excited last night: I'm double excited today. Oh, I know: politicians always break your heart. (I was so excited on the day of Bill Clinton's first inaugural, I can't tell you. If I'd only known...) But for the moment, I'm feeling the electric charge. I'm feeling, well, hope.

Go Obama!!

Update: More interesting Obama/Edwards blogging from Nathan Newman here. Also, Lance Mannion seems (characteristically) wise on the Obama question. But since I'm feeling the audacity of hope today, I'll quote his optimistic conclusion:

The trick to winning over these Republicans isn't adopting their values or prejudices; it's talking them around their values and prejudices in order to get them to a point where they can see where their real interests lie.... Reagan talked people around their interests to vote their prejudices and "values" and created a lot of Reagan Democrats. Perhaps what we're seeing from the junior Senator from Illinois is the beginning of the creation of a whole lot of Obama Republicans.

From your lips to God's ears, Lance.

Update 2: This is definitely the data-presentation zinger of the day (via):

Percentage of total vote last night by all candidates regardless of party:

24.5% Obama
20.5% Edwards
19.8% Clinton
11.4% Huckabee (R)

Yes: Clinton, the third place Democrat, got nearly twice the votes of the leading Republican.