I'd say Kerry's speech is comparable to Edwards': it hiet each of the major points it needed to, with some good moments that were memorable in the short-term but seem un-likely to get re-aired on on C-SPAN at future conventions, and some low points too. I'd say he did a largely effective job of talking sympathetically in about his own life in a way which personalized him while tying him to a national narrative and avoiding appearing self-aggrandizing or apologetic. His explicit gendering of his parents was irritating. His unapologetic ownership of the accomplishments of 60's movements was gratifying. His refusal to mention gay liberation, or the gay community, was not. It was good to hear the word "poverty," but disappointing not to hear more about it, and particularly not to see Kerry's support for raising the minimum wage and recognizing card count neutrality agreements touted as centerpieces of his economic plan. I did think he set forth his stance on the Bush tax cuts with admirable frankness and simplicity, and in a way which doesn't leave the Republicans much room to maneuver. I remain pleasantly surprised to see Kerry talking about spending more money on Head Start instead of the prison system, a welcome departure from Clinton's strategy of apeing Republican rhetoric on crime. The fact that the line has the entire staff of The New Republic apoplectic is a good sign. Calling the "family values" crowd on not valuing families is well-deserved and long overdue. Reaching out to those who self-identify as people of faith is all well and good, but you don't need to announce that you're doing it. The Lincoln quote is one of the great ones in American politics, and put here to great use. All that said, it's an exciting night.