In Speech, Bringing Lofty Words Down to Earth

By PATRICK HEALY
NYT

DENVER — Good, great or something else, Senator Barack Obama’s acceptance speech Thursday night unquestionably confronted two of his greatest challenges.

One was to help voters, in emotion-laden language, to connect his promise of “change” to more earthly policy proposals, the other to show he could take the fight to Senator John McCain over Mr. Obama’s own image and the best way forward for the nation.

Mr. Obama showed real fire, and directed memorable fire at his opponent, even on Mr. McCain’s signature issue, national security. “If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament and judgment to serve as the next commander in chief, that’s a debate I’m ready to have,” he said.

Mr. Obama is a natural speechmaker, as Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton reminded voters (in a negative way) throughout their primary battle. He has always excelled at making the best case for himself, never more so than in his breakthrough speech — probably his best one yet — at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

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