Although I still hate politics, I'm kind of liking Obama today and thinking he won the election with that speech he just gave. Aside from some stupid things he had to put in there--the American exceptionalism, the idea that the Middle East conflict is none of Israel's fault and 100% the Arabs' fault. (Or did I get that wrong?) Yes, I do hate politics, because it makes Obama say dumb things to get elected. Rhetorically brilliant, with that opportunism that doesn't seem opportunistic.

The references to "my former pastor" were brilliant. That one word does a lot of work.

Obama understands White lower middle-class resentment. That's important because it allows him not to be the "affirmative action" candidate. He's not the "unqualified minority" taking your job, Mr. Blue Collar worker.

The parallelism he establishes between pastor Wright and Geraldine Ferraro is also a brilliant move. It slams her without slamming her.

Obama has the savvy to run both to the left and to the center of Clinton at once, boxing her in as it were. His positions can be lefter than hers (on the war most significantly) , while his rhetoric remains more centrist and inclusive. He has a talent for being in the fray and above the fray at the same time. (What is a "fray," by the way? What do you call one of those words that only exists in a set phrase?) Can he seem more centrist than McCain, who has the talent to seem centrist when he's really not?