Mile High Expectations

The Democrats have done a good job of lowering expectations at their convention up to now. That's an old political game that makes "OK" seem good and "good" seem excellent by comparison. Rumors and low rumblings of disaffection were rife as festivities got under way.

Would Hillary endorse Obama strongly enough to move her partisans, or would she damn him with faint praise? Would Bill be on the same page with his wife or would he seem petulant and resentful at the man who upset her expected run to the nomination? Would Joe Biden be able to curb his tendency toward long-windedness? Could he hold the delegates' interest? Would he attack McCain? Could he do so effectively? That doubt was sown about all these questions gave their affirmative answers greater impact than would otherwise have been the case.

But there is one speaker whose expectations cannot be lowered. When Barack Obama takes the stage at Invesco Field before 75,000 rapturous supporters the expectations will likely be greater than for any convention acceptance speech ever given. Everyone is aware of his ability to move an audience. That his opponents spend so much effort ridiculing it is testament to its power. He will be expected to blow the gates open, carry everyone away, transport them to another dimension and create utter frenzy. Anything less will be deemed failure.

Expectations will be high indeed. If they are met, the moment may well be chronicled in the future as the night when a new force and a new movement became irresistible. If not, it could enter folklore as its own new catch phrase, as the fizzle heard 'round the world. Obama will stand face to face with the American people and with his shot at destiny. Never again in this campaign will he have half an hour of uninterrupted time to lay it all on the line before an audience as large as he will have Thursday night. Counting television, it could be 100 million people.

And he will have to not only meet impossibly high expectations but exceed them to pull it off. It doesn't get any better than this. This ought to be fun to watch.