Obama's Acceptance Speech Seals the Deal for Democratic Unity

"I get it," Barack Obama forcefully orated toward the end of his politically astute acceptance speech at the '08 Democratic Convention.

And indeed, he does finally get it. Although armed with shrewd sensibilities, Obama is sometimes slow to recognize viable threats to his agenda. Ultimately, though, he's a political pragmatist, as he amply demonstrated in his game-winning speech.

Bottom line: Obama listens, he ultimately "gets it," and he invariably does what it takes to win.

I have no doubt that he'll do exactly that in the remainder of the presidential campaign, and will be the 44th President of the Unted States.

With this canny speech and with his choice of six-term Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate, Barack Obama sealed the deal with most:

• Hillary supporters

• Democrats and Democratic-leaning Independents concerned about Obama's depth of experience or looking for a certain gray-haired gravitas

• Democrats and Democratic-leaning Independents looking for a muscular national security stance

• White, working-class Democrats in the "Rust Belt" of Pennsylvania and westward through upper Ohio and Indiana, into lower Michigan.

Just after Obama's speech last night, Kim Ruehl, impassioned Clinton supporter who has been valiantly trying to warm-up to Obama, blogged last night:

"... he came out onstage in Denver tonight and he said it all. He laid it all out. Every single thing. He went after his opponent's plans... He addressed everything I have, all this time, wondered if he even understood about reality and the presidency.

"I teared up, I got emotional. And then I volunteered. He better not drop the freaking ball."

Obama won't drop the ball, Kim. He gets it.

As a result, Democrats are now unified after the '08 Convention, and with record-smashing levels of Americans joining the Democratic party.

Bring on November 4th! It can't happen soon enough.

In the next few days, look here for thorough analysis of Obama's nomination acceptance speech, as it provides a clear blueprint both for the remaining weeks of this campaign and for the Obama presidency.

(Photo taken on August 28, 2008: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

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