The past couple weeks saw record rating for the Olympics. The 2 biggest events where the 8 golds by Michael Phelps, and the amazing opening ceremony. During the later, people awed at what China was able to accomplish, but there was also a sense of the possibility  the great feats of the next century might not be American ones. Fast forward to Obama's speech today. Many pundits where speculating it was a bad idea, to give the speech in front of a huge crowd while standing in front a Greek Columns. That spectacle along with the fireworks at the end echoed the Olympics and in a way tapped into the American Patriotism and our general want to be the best and biggest in the world. If Obama did not go all out and have the speech in front of a huge audience, it would shown weakness that he caved into McCain's attack.  John McCain will not be able to accomplish anything like the sheer event that was tonights speech.  
        That being said, an acceptance speech should not just be a spectacle. How did the actual speech go? While I agree with some that he should have been a little more specific at times regarding policy especially in the realm of energy independence, overall it was a very good speech. I think he went at McCain very well with the refrain that "It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it" He made it a point of saying very clearly that " I will cut taxes - cut taxes - for 95% of all working families. Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle-class" He said it simply and clearly so Republicans could not characterize him as a democrat who was going to raise taxes. Another good line was "John McCain has voted with George Bush ninety percent of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than ninety percent of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a ten percent chance on change."  However, there is one line, actually not a line but a word that I will always remember from this speech more than any other: Enough! After running down a list of recent Republican failures, Obama said " Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and Independents across this great land - Enough!" It was the way he said that word, not screaming it; but loud, powerful, and so forcefully that it seemed to leave his mouth and then ring into the heavens that I will always remember.  
Obama did a good job of generally outlining the differences between him and McCain, but the strongest thing he did tonight was leave the overall impression that if the United States wants to be the most important player in the world again at a time when China, Russia, and the EU are all flexing their muscle, then we need someone with the presence of Barack Obama.