Hillary Clinton gave a gracious concession speech and energetic declaration of support for Barack Obama today, an important first step in unifying the Democratic Party for the general election campaign following a long and contentious nomination battle. Despite my own, often sharp criticism of Clinton throughout the nomination contest, her speech today confirmed for me her strengths now as a prospective vice-presidential running mate for Obama; and should our nominee choose Mrs. Clinton as his running mate, he would have my full support in doing so. A formidable opponent in the nomination fight, Mrs. Clinton will be an invaluable ally in the fight for the White House. The next concession speech you hear, sometime the evening of November 4, 2008, will be John McCain's.

If the first days of the 2008 general election contest are any indicator of what lies ahead, I would be tempted to think that Obama might as well go ahead, as they say, and start measuring drapes for the Oval Office. McCain has gotten off to a stumbling, bumbling start that must have more than a few Republicans more than a little bit worried about how their man will hold up against a Democratic rival who is clearly and vastly McCain's rhetorical and oratorical superior. I expect Obama will mop the floor with McCain in every presidential debate, not to mention far outshining him in speeches as he did this week. Streaking out of the starting gate Tuesday night as polls closed in South Dakota and Montana, Obama celebrated victory with a rousing, inspirational speech that more than befit the historic occasion of his night as America's first African American presidential nominee. McCain, meanwhile, gave an ungracious, pandering, and downright ugly speech in which he refused either to congratulate Obama himself or to recognize the significance of his victory for African Americans, choosing instead to begrudge Obama his "eloquence" and pander to angry Clinton supporters by suggesting that Obama owed his victory to "pundits and party elders." McCain's speech was widely panned by conservatives and liberals alike, who found fault with far more than the harsh, lime-green background against which we were treated to McCain's pasty visage and smarmy grin as pictured here (see video). Conservative commentator Fred Barnes of FoxNews said that McCain's speech was "painful" to listen to, while on CNN Republican media consultant Alex Castellanos remarked: "Last I checked this was not a speech-making contest.... Thank God." CNN's Jeff Toobin said more bluntly of McCain's speech: "That was awful.... That was pathetic." Politico's Jonathan Martin asks, "Is there a way John McCain can win the presidency without giving another speech?" Probably not.

Beyond mere speechifying ability, Obama's real policy differences with McCain could not be more obvious. While Obama promises to end the war in Iraq and bring US troops home as quickly as possible, McCain promises only more war in Iraq and perhaps beyond. While Obama promises fiscal policies aimed at improving the lives of working Americans, McCain promises to continue Bush policies favoring the rich. While Obama would appoint progressive Supreme Court justices to replace those certain to retire within the next president's term, McCain would appoint staunch conservatives, making it particularly clear that he would support overturning the Roe vs. Wade decision affirming a woman's right to choose whether to give birth. As McCain's lobbyist problem continues to haunt him, Obama has set a new course for the Democratic Party he now leads by declaring for the first time that, like his primary campaign, his Democratic National Committee will no longer accept campaign contributions from Washington lobbyists. The differences couldn't be clearer.

The next concession speech you hear will be John McCain's.