Bang

Clintons go to bat for Kerry and Edwards

More in the morning, but I have to say this: the bar has been set high for the rest of the week. Gore was both funny and forceful. Carter made a compelling argument. Kerry's boatmate was phenomenal. Hillary found a sound bite that's perfect: A serious man for a serious job in a serious time. And Bill proved that he's willing to expend all his political capital to help Kerry win, delivering a speech that was both incredibly clever (in its use of his own faults, including his newfound wealth and his long-ago draft-dodging) and beautifully effective. "Strength and wisdom are not opposing values": the man is a rhetorical genius, delivering the line with his aw, shucks pose as if he just thought of it standing up there. If there weren't term limits, well, he'd be president for life.

If the American people were watching tonight, or if the press does this all justice in the morning, then John Kerry should have a very receptive audience by Thursday. If the pundits are right, and the American people are using this week to get to know John Kerry, then the man they started to meet tonight--strong, wise, fighting for those who need it, unwilling to leave anyone behind, and courageous enough to go back to get them--is undoubtedly someone who will compare favorably with Bush. Once the American people get to know John Kerry, the devil they know, the one they've been thinking about keeping around for another term, is going to look a lot worse by comparison.