There's a definite sense of the "big mo" as the political wonks refer to "momentum". I continue to feel pretty good about this election, and that the only problem with it is that somebody has to lose in November.

McCain's speech was impressive in large part because of its humility. I may not have the words entirely correct, but he said that his experience as a POW taught him that "I didn't save America, America saved me". He went on to declare that he would fight for whatever seemed to be in the best interests of the American people, and it struck me as a refreshing change from politicians who declare that they'll fight for the good of their parties and the vindication of their ideologies (the fundamental error behind every one of Bush's disastrous mistakes).

It seemed like a nice expression of one type of good President, the republican (lowercase "r") servant of the people, who realizes that his power arises from the consent of the governed. He seems to know where power really resides in America. He was suitably humble about the office and its responsbilities.

Obama represents another type of great President, the inspirational leader. He's usually compared to Kennedy, but that comparison is not quite accurate, or not quite complete, I think. There's the "passing a torch to a new generation" aspect, of course, but there's also the aspect of uplifting the spirit of the American people. There I think a better analogy would be to FDR offering hope to a people dispirited by Hoover's 1930s version of an "era of lowered expectations" and "national malaise". Rugged individualism devil-take-the-hindmost only takes us so far, and a people needs a leader to show the way up and out. There's a reason that the Founders didn't give us just a parliament as a pure expression of democracy: They understood the psychological importance of an individual who can focus and symbolize the national aspirations. Sometimes we need a leader, and no question that this is one of those times.

Where's Hillary? She was last sighted headed for Texas to raise cash and appeal to ethnic slices of the electorate. She's looking pretty small compared to the other two frontrunners.