With Malice Towards None

McCain's speech got bad reviews (except from me) but it seems to have worked with the people: Gallup shows McCain with a 10-point lead, and McCain is now ahead in the RealClearPolitics poll average.  Like Bush in 2004, McCain seems to have used the Convention to make a compelling case for his candidacy, and swung enough voters to take the lead in the race.

If I had to name one thing as the reason, Abraham Lincoln's phrase from the Gettysburg Address, "with malice towards none," seems most apt.  George W. Bush, in 2004, may have gotten elected partly on the basis of malice towards various groups.  Towards al-Qaeda and the "Axis of Evil"; towards gays; towards liberals and Democrats.  One of the most admirable aspects of McCain's speech last Thursday was that there was no malice towards anyone.  Not even towards the Vietcong captors who tortured him.  I was inspired afresh by the story of McCain helping to normalize relations with Vietnam after the war, despite what they'd done to him.  And this:

Russia's leaders, rich with oil wealth and corrupt with power, have rejected democratic ideals and the obligations of a responsible power. They invaded a small, democratic neighbor to gain more control over the world's oil supply, intimidate other neighbors, and further their ambitions of reassembling the Russian empire. And the brave people of Georgia need our solidarity and prayers. As President I will work to establish good relations with Russia so we need not fear a return of the Cold War. But we can't turn a blind eye to aggression and international lawlessness that threatens the peace and stability of the world and the security of the American people.

Despite the strong condemnation of Russia, McCain promises to 'work to establish good relations."  No malice. There wasn't the faintest hint of malice towards gays in McCain's speech.  I think McCain in general is not anti-gay. And then there was his praise of Obama and his supporters.  And all his disavowals of partisan rancor.  And his declaration that "I hate war, it's terrible beyond all imagining."  John McCain, man of peace.

That's more important than a confident, comfortable delivery.