McCain, not known for his speeches in front of large groups, also delivered during his speech last week.  He had help from the supportive crowd.  Interrupted by protesters at the beginning, the crowd responded by drowning the protester with chants of  “USA! USA! USA!” McCain responded with an admonition to the crowd, “Don’t be diverted by crowd noise and static.”  When he was again interrupted, McCain noted, “Americans want us to stop shouting at each other, O.K.?”

The introductory video of McCain related the story of his five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.  For those who make note that he and his campaign often talk about this experience, bear in mind that there is a good reason.  This was the defining event of his life and has framed his life ever since.  He was broken by interrogation while he was a prisoner of war.  He returned to his cell in despair, but his spirit was buoyed by the prisoner of war in an adjacent cell who urged him to “get up and fight again” for his country. He has been doing just that ever since.

It will be interesting to see if we are going to choose “change we can believe in,” or “country first.”  In any event – the middle-distance leg has begun, a part of the race during which neither the single qualities of endurance, speed, strategy or tactics will determine the outcome. Instead, victory will go to the team who can best combine all of them.

Stay tuned – anything can happen.

P.S.  MSNBC talk show host Chris Matthews said in February, “I have to tell you…the feeling most people get when they hear Barack Obama’s speech.  My, I felt this thrill going up my leg.  I mean, I don’t have that too often…..He speaks about America in a way that has nothing to do with politics.  It has to do with the feeling we have about our country.  And that is an objective assessment.”

Standing in the convention center here in Saint Paul at the end of McCain’s speech, I too felt a thrill, but it was in both legs.  And that is an objective assessment.