Now That's a Great Speech

The Obama speech responding to the first serious right-wing smear campaign against him is just brilliant, especially if you watch it, but even if you read it. It's extremely intelligent in providing, insisting really, on the historical context of the anger that gets expressed virulently, weirdly perhaps, in the black community. He dares speak the truth. Yet the speech is extremely savvy in speaking to the concerns of black and white communities, perfectly exemplifying his politics of reconciliation and hope. It's as if he and his campaign have been waiting for this opportunity to turn smear into inspiration.

I find it particularly emotional, I suspect, because I've been waiting way too many years for someone, anyone, on a national stage to speak the truth.