Obama over the top

Events may prove me wrong. But I believe that in hindsight — even, say, a year from now — the high point of the failed Barack Obama presidential candidacy will be recognized as having occurred a few seconds before he spoke these lines in his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention tonight:

You know, John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the gates of Hell. But he won't even follow him to the cave where he lives.

What a nasty, vile statement. What a palpable, obvious, and deliberate lie. What a calculated insult, in a speech guaranteed to have been combed over in advance for anything that might generate misunderstandings, in a speech guaranteed to receive more national attention than anything Obama has said to date in his entire life. What a great insight into the shallow, immature thinking and overweening, craven opportunism of this man who's never done anything, never risked anything, never shown an ounce of even political courage (much less physical courage) — but yet would be the Commander in Chief of the United States of America.

And the crowd roared its approval. That must be the lowest moment of the Democratic Party in its history. Shame on them, on every one of them who cheered and every one of them who didn't sit on his or her hands and shake his or her head in disgust. How very fortunate for them all that brave Americans like John McCain in the uniforms of our country's military forces have fought and died for their rights to make such utter fools of themselves.

Then, not five minutes later:

But what I will not do is suggest that the Senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and each other's patriotism.

What unfathomably vast hypocrisy.

Barack Obama excites his party's true believers, who are waiting for their Messiah to lead them from the electoral deserts. I do not believe this man can successfully conceal from a majority of the American voting public, however, just how venal and dangerous he is.

It was, as John McCain said in the ad his campaign ran tonight, "perfect" that the first black to be a presidential nominee of a major political party gave his nomination speech on this anniversary of Dr. King's "I have a dream" speech. It is a tragic shame, though, that the content of that nominee's character is so lacking.