Hillary Clinton's speech tonight feels like a victory speech. She's smiling broadly and leaning to one side with an arm folded on the podium. It's a small thing, but it's a stance of comfort and conversation. She looks happy, relaxed, and confident. Two things struck me about Clinton's remarks: First, she articulated a much more specific idea of the potential role of government in people's lives than Obama ever does, ticking off a range of issues from universal health care, to veterans benefits, to jobs. Second, she has borrowed heavily and obviously from John Edwards. She began by thanking "people on the day shift, the night shift, the shift with the crying baby" for going out to the polls. Later on she said, "It's not about who's up and who's down, it's about your lives, your families, and your futures." This closely echoed Edwards' final debate performance. "I see an America where the economy works for everyone -- not just those at the top," Clinton continued. It's official. She's trying to run a populist campaign. The edges are a lot fuzzier than they ever were for Edwards. But the tone is there. --Dana Goldstein
