Bill Clinton's address Monday night had to be one of best political speeches I've ever heard him -- or anyone -- give. He managed to be both masterful and self-deprecating. The riff about George W. Bush cutting this program and that program so that Clinton, the nouveau riche, could keep his tax cut was just brilliant. Likewise his deft inclusion of himself among the draft avoiders of his generation, such as Bush and Dick Cheney, while John Kerry said, "Send me." The observation that "strength and wisdom are not opposing values" was pure Clinton, an elegant insight that reminds us what a fool George W. Bush is without actually saying so.
The rest of the speech, too, was superbly balanced in striking a largely affirmative tone, but leaving little doubt that Bush had made a mess of the country. Somehow, Clinton managed to be both momentous, and lighthearted. And, while taking ample credit for eight good years, he left no doubt that the speech was about Kerry. Indeed, it was a fine reintroduction of Kerry -- the good, wise, and brave. A man who volunteered for combat in Vietnam, then came home to heal the nation's wounds, then performed a further healing service on the issue of the POWs.
Clinton wrote the speech himself. Mercifully, he was scheduled so that his speech had to end when network prime time ended, precisely at 11 p.m. He was, uncharacteristically, concise. He went on only about a minute too long, cycling back through his themes one more time, but it didn't spoil the moment.
There will be more superb speeches: Barack Obama tonight; and Ted Kennedy, who is no rhetorical slouch, either; followed by John Edwards and then most of Kerry's Democratic challengers, who will vie with one another for who can introduce Kerry most affirmatively and eloquently.
All of this dramatic buildup sets up quite a moment for Kerry himself. Nothing short of a home run will do Thursday, or it will seem as if he doesn't quite measure up to expectations. He had better hit it out of the park.
Robert Kuttner is a co-editor of The American Prospect.
