Barack Obama’s speech was in a big park, and he hit it out of the park.

He did three things at once:

• Delivered the soaring, inspiring rhetoric that Democrats love and Republicans mock
  
• Showed middle-class Americans he is one of them
  
• Challenged McCain forcefully and directly, without sounding nasty and negative.

Expectations were ridiculously high. But he met them all. No mean feat.

The last American politician who could talk that way – and still talk like a real person – was Ronald Reagan.

The proof of how good a speech it was: McCain had to throw the long ball. He picked the inexperienced, unknown female governor from Alaska as his running mate. Enough said.

Most of all, Obama made clear that he is not too soft for the fight ahead. John McCain better pack a lunch, because he’s in for a long day.

I’m always quick to criticize a Democrat when it’s justified, so this is just not spin. My advice to my Republican friends is stop talking about him being just a celebrity, stop critiquing the columns and the setting of the speech, and stop saying there’s no substance.

Change the subject and start making your case, fast. This guy is no pushover. Ask the Clintons.

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