...that there weren't 200 letters trashing you for your article? As I wrote elsewhere on this site, I love Michelle (Robinson) Obama, have known her story for a long time, have met her, was impressed by her from the beginning. So I'm not at all surprised that the speech went well.

What kept going through my mind, though, was what she told a group of us gathered in Springfield early on regarding that famous speech made at the last Democrat convention by her husband. Before he went out on stage, she said to him "Don't blow it!" So, naturally, I imagined Barack thinking as she went out on stage at this convention "Don't blow it" and Ms. Obama reminding herself of what she said to him 4 years ago!

She didn't blow it.

Yes, you're entirely correct. Those words in print probably didn't have the kind of effect as the words delivered by the woman last night. Her delivery was great. She put herself into it and it showed. Most amazing are the comments I've read on this site that include "she should be running for president" which is something I've been saying all along.

Yes, I suppose you could place me in the PUMA category because I feel conventions should be the deciding venue for our nominee and not a unity fest, but my admiration for Michelle Obama is probably more than it has ever been for Hillary Clinton. (It's just the opposite with regard to their husbands.) But with Michelle there "grounding" Barack -- reminding him not to blow it -- our nation will recover from the Bush years and, hopefully, proper once again.

VOTE DEMOCRAT IN NOVEMBER, FOLKS! MAKE SURE YOUR VOTE ISN'T STOLEN! TURN OUT EN MASSE! THIS MAY BE OUR LAST CHANCE TO SALVAGE THINGS!!!

...she was presidential! The best speech so far, and that's saying a lot because I loved Michelle Obama's speech the night before. However, they were different speeches, with different tones, given for different purposes.

Having financially supported both candidates in the primary, and sent contribution to both afterward (Hillary's to help pay off the debt), I've already made plans to donate more to Obama and expect to stop at the local Obama headquarters to see what I can do to help get the Democrat elected.

But that would have happened even without Senator Clinton's phenomenal speech last night urging unity. It would have happened because it's the right thing to do.

Nevertheless...I worry. Big time! After seeing the last two elections stolen by outright theivery and massive behind-the-scenes cheating & trickery, along with the gullibility and...yes...the stupidity of those who supported Bush/Cheney, I fear this may be our last chance to save our country. And so I will continue to worry right to election day.

After posting my personal reaction to Senator Clinton's speech last night, I went on to read the rest of the letters posted on this article.

First of all, let's look at the sequence of some of the major speeches at the convention thus far. Each builds upon the one before it, is intended to focus on a certain issue, or is meant to further the career of someone. Four years and a few days ago, no one (except those of us from Illinois) even knew who Barack Obama was! He was the up-and-coming young politician the party intended to place in the forefront for consideration on down the line. Their strategy worked far better than expected--and much faster, too.

So this convention saw another up-and-coming politician keynoting. (Unfortunately, this time their strategy didn't work.) Mark Warner's speech was no better than OK---but probably helped towards his election to the U.S. Senate as they build a larger majority (Hey, it doesn't work every time!) Then there was Bob Casey, who was placed at the podium to give assurances to the anti-abortion contingency within the party. Dennis Kucinich was there to remind the crowd that mavericks have their place in the party structure and, perhaps, to make sure they don't bolt to the Ron Paul campaign. Ted Kennedy's role was to pass the torch, which he did superbly. And so it goes.

Michelle Obama was the first really good speech. Hers was aimed at those who question just who these Obama folks are, and to help soften both her image (although I think all the crap that's been spouted about her is just that---CRAP) and that of her husband. It was designed to bring the humanity of the candidate and his family into the picture. Hillary Clinton came next. Her speech was intended to create unity. She wasn't there to tout the qualities of Barack Obama. She wasn't there to attack John McCain---or even George Bush. She was there to remind her hold-out supporters the ideals they saw in her also exist in Obama--and as a nod to her historic candidacy--and to stress the importance of a Democrat win in November.

Others will come to the podium today and tomorrow to do the attacking of McCain and, hopefully, remind voters (not just the party faithful, but all the VOTERS watching) of the failures of Bush/Cheney.

Folks, it's a process. Hillary couldn't do it all by herself, and doesn't deserve criticism from any of us for seeming-failures in her speech. Frankly, Obama won't be able to do it all by himself, either. But each of the key speakers, doing their part, are the pieces of the larger plan. Each helps to develop the whole message. Please give it a chance to happen today and tomorrow.