Obama's a rock star

So, I wasn't going to watch this because I was way tired, but I'm up anyway. Admittedly, it's a moment worth witnessing, and I might have misted up a bit when he stepped on stage. This is going to be my running commentary on the speech.

- Seriously, he is like a rock star: the giant stadium, the flashing lights, the unending applause. Some have called it megalomania (I think they were right-wing talk show hosts), but I think it's just that he's kind of insanely popular, enough to be able to draw this kind of attendance.
- The crowd is a little crazy with the boos and cheers. Settle down, people.
- It would be awesome if the stage continuously rotated so everyone in the stadium had a chance to see him head on.
- So far, some funny quips and recycled comments about McCain being a Bush clone and being too rich to be in touch with most Americans. Granted; but I'm ready to hear something new, and a little more substantive about what he intends to do differently. Not what he did before, either - what will he do now?
- Alright, he's about to spell it out; let's go! Tax breaks focused on small business and middle class families; ending dependence on foreign oil. Not so thrilled about the initial focus on natural gas, coal and nuclear for power versus a stronger stance on renewables - and comsumption habit changes. Education: better funding for education, education for those who serve in community and the military. Health care availability at high quality for all. Family leave, protecting pensions and social security, equal wages for women. How to pay for it? Closing corporate loopholes, eliminating non-productive government programs and making those that work work better and cheaper. Not relying only on government and programs, but also looking to our personal responsibility and responsibility to one another. I did like the particular mention of better paths to success for those who have come out of imprisonment.
- Ah, the foreign policy stuff - why is it always more about war than about building peace and equity? I understand we have a war we need to end that's a huge priority, but I'd also love to hear that we have other foreign policy activities besides attacking and defending, whether ourselves or others. That's a change we need!
- OK, there's the brief reference to our non military foreign policy measures and topics: building partnerships, addressing poverty and climate change. I wish he'd gone into much more detail about that, but oh well.
- Nice nod to ending character assassination in campaigning, and to bipartisan patriotism. Also, decent navigation of how we can work together to meet common goals despite different policy positions. He did skip quickly over the immigration issue, though; and interestingly, that reference got hardly any applause.
- I think I still want to know more about what "a new politics for a new time" really means. Similarly, I'd like him to outline the American promise, and not just in vague references. One think people forget about MLK Jr. - he had a pretty clear vision of what the new society should look like, and it was brilliantly and unapologetically radical.

Overall, not bad; I wasn't awed, but I also wasn't disappointed. I think it was about what I expected ... but I really wanted to be bowled over and inspired anew.

Good gracious, them's some pyrotechnics!!