I watched Barack Obama's entire speech tonight. I tend to be a skeptic whenever something is receiving an inordinate amount of hype. Even when I support said hype. The Hold Steady-I accept the fact you may not like them because everyone who sings their praises is a douchebag. And when it comes to politics, I'm so pointedly distrusting of any politicians that it was hard for me to REALLY get excited about Obama because I've been excited about politicians before. I worked on Senator Paul Wellstone's 2002 Senate campaign that ended ten days before the election in a plane crash. And after six years of just not really giving a shit following the death of Wellstone, I was completely apathetic towards any and all American politics. I was feeling overwhelmed with how insane the political discourse and discussion became in our country. It wasn't a discussion. It was a string of catch phrases and pseudo arguments, but not as a respectable debate. Even the democratic primaries were mind-boggling. Questioning Obama's patriotism, faith or whatever else-does that really matter? It's like questioning someone's spirit or freedom. You can't define it. You can't argue it. But as cheesy as it sounds-I believe in that "inexperienced, elitist, Muslim" Senator and I truly think he's going to be President.

Let me say, it's about goddamn time someone is doing what he's doing. It's about fucking time that someone comes out from the political left and takes the gloves off and does so in the right way. He's not trying to be the "left" version of what came before him. Clinton did some shit that even Republicans thought was ballsy. The 1996 Telecommunications Act being one great example. Watching Obama's speech, it's not a goddamn surprise that Al Gore and John Kerry lost their elections or even had them close enough to have them stolen from them. Watching Obama's speech, even Kerry and Gore are thinking, "Damn....my speech was AWFUL."

Case in point-address your critics head on point by point. Bring up the point that I've felt for years-that military and the ideas of war are not a political left/right issue. Address the fact that single issue voters based on guns and abortion can still meet in the middle and realize that the far right of an argument and the far left of an argument are completely irrational in their own rights. Confront the fact that Republicans have operated on a fiscal policy that is more destructive than anything the tax and spend liberal boogeyman could rig on his biggest tax and highest expenditure wet dreams. Be a strong, confrontation, honest and respectable. I can't believe it's 2008 and someone FINALLY said "I support our troops and veterans but not the war." RESPOND to people who have been slamming you and slam them back. It was exciting. And it was honest. If you thought that speech sucked, you weren't voting for him as it was. If Pat Buchanan is saying your speech is one of the best political speeches ever, you've done something right, my friend.

I also want to send my deepest condolences to the McCain staff in charge of writing his speech next week. I realize McCain won't write his own speeches the way Obama does, but best of luck, maverick. It's not just in Berlin anymore. And it sure feels exciting to give a fuck once again.