Is It Enough?

Sen. Edward Kennedy’s (D-Mass.) appearance last night as I watched it from the convention was nothing short of miraculous. He appeared strong and spoke with clarity and conviction, an amazing feat for someone who had just two months ago undergone radical brain surgery. It is a testament to both his belief in Sen. Obama and his commitment to a vision for this country that he rose from his deathbed and traveled over a thousand miles to speak at the opening night of the Democratic convention.

Michelle Obama did exactly what was expected of her and beyond. Her words demonstrated the strongest of commitments to family and faith. It was clear in the speech that the Michelle Obama of 15 years ago has evolved into someone who loves America, and is as patriotic to our ideals and principles as anyone on the political stage. In fact, without Michelle Obama and Ted Kennedy, the Democrats would have wasted the evening. There was little else of substance and little in the way of defining issues, and, surprisingly, little or no mention of John McCain and the Republicans.

With that said, there are some cold facts that Barack Obama and the Democrats need to face. The candidates are in a statistical dead heat, locked at about 47 percent in the most recent polls. The selection of Joe Biden as a running mate did not give Obama the bounce he was expecting. Nor does anyone expect Biden to bring any state (other than his small home state of Delaware) to Obama’s winning column.

While Michelle Obama’s speech seemed to connect with the delegates in attendance, who would have cheered for her no matter what she said, it is unclear whether or not her message resonated with the farmers, workers and those outside the convention hall who will be responsible for electing the next president of the United States.

Are you now convinced more than ever that Sen. Barack Obama is your choice for president in November? Let us know the impact.