Tomorrow, we begin our long trip to the conclave in the mountains, but we're not headed to the Rockies. The Adirondacks beckon for the last taste of pre-school summer, a short week of canoes and tangled fishing line and cool evenings by the upper reaches of Lake George - where, if we're lucky, the television reception will allow a long taste of the proceedings in Denver, half a continent away.
Rather than radically remaking the map of national American politics, Barack Obama's campaign is now down to the hard task of shifting a state or two from the Bush-Kerry landscape of four years ago, and last night's 3 a.m. botched text message choice of old school Joe Biden was the tacit admission that this election will be a near-run thing. I like Biden because he's an ornery east coast liberal who enjoys duking it out on television and providing a modicum of wit and wry humor that the buttoned-up Obama campaign can use to good effect.
Sure, some Obama hard-core types may be upset that Barack went for a white, hawkish, 60-something, corporatist, Meet the Press, deep blue DC establishment insider; he's not the "reinforcing" choice to many theorists pulled for, or the "three-point shot" others rooted for in the way of map-changing go-for-broke style. He's a free throw, the best VP choice for the Clinton half of the party not actually named Clinton. Old Joe Biden is acceptable to the widest possible swath of the Democratic base, possesses a personal story that is compelling, is an energetic political terrier, and can leverage his gritty pre-MBNA Scanton roots to good effect in the geographic areas where Obama is weaker than we'd like. He'll hammer McCain without conscience or compunction - even though he urged Kerry to choose Johnny Mac as his veep, and is buddies with the GOP nominee. This is one professional politician we've added to the ticket - old school, non-change, insider, totally connected. Does he take the age, war, and DC insider cards off the table? Only a little bit - the race is still about the top of the ticket. After all the tarted-up "suspense," Old Joe Biden may be something of a let-down for some.
So that little drama is over, just in time for the one that really counts. Forget the Biden choice, the Clinton speeches, Al Gore's appearance, the roll call, and all the assorted rallies, parties, and bloggerfests. The one thing that counts most next week - the real game-changer amidst dipping poll numbers - is Barack Obama's acceptance speech.
This is the moment to break out of one half of the Democratic voter rolls. And it must not be business as usual, the rather tame standard stump speech Obama sleep-walked through in Germany last month. It can't be warmed-over Iowa. It needs to be an entirely new speech, a revitalized Obama and most importantly, a strong economic message.
Obama's brilliant oratory - version 1.0 - has already reached every ear to which it can possibly appeal. We need Obama 2.0 to come out on Thursday night. He cannot play to the homefield fans yet again, and glory in the love of his most ardent supporters in both the national media and a potent sliver of the electorate. Nor can he rely solely on soaring but vague rhetoric. Hope won't cut it. Obama's speech on Thursday must be, in large portion, his promise revealed - the three or four major domestic policy initiatives of an Obama Administration, in addition to a sane and moral foreign policy.
High in the rarefied air of the Rockies, Barack Obama will accept his party's nomination - here's hoping he knocks it out of Invesco Field.
Postscript: yes, I know that last line is a mixed sports metaphor. But "field goal" was too lame.
