Respect to Senator Edward Kennedy for a truly heroic speech - not least given his own health (he has been diagnosed with a brain tumor) - in which he stirred memories of the great achievements in civil rights and social justice in this nation over the past half-century, restated his absolute commitment to healthcare as a right not a privilege (how healthcare and education can by anything but basic human rights is unfathomable to someone such as me, born in Europe), and went on to stir hearts and emotions in passing the torch of social change to Barack Obama:
"There is a new wave of change all around us, and if we set our compass true, we will reach our destination - not merely victory for our party, but renewal for our nation. And this November, the torch will be passed again to a new generation of Americans.
"So with Barack Obama, and for you and me, our country will be committed to his cause."
Echoing the closing line of his 1980 speech, when he dropped his own bid for the presidency in favor of Jimmy Carter, Senator Kennedy concluded rousingly with the words: "The work begins anew, the hope rises again and the dream lives on."
Michelle Obama
The evening's other great speech came from Obama's wife, Michelle, who presented a portrait of her husband as a man whose values have held steady since she first me him, a man determined to be a strong father to his two daughters, Malia and Sasha, and a candidate whose inclusiveness has been a hallmark of his campaign:
"You see, Barack doesn't care where you're from, or what your background is, or what party, if any, you belong to. You see, that's just not how he sees the world. He knows that thread that connects us - our belief in America's promise, our commitment to our children's future - he knows that that thread is strong enough to hold us together as one nation even when we disagree."
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