Say it like you mean it

I'm so glad the Dems came out swinging last night. With class, polish and distinction, Gov. Kaine and Mayor Vallaraigosa delivered some great blows at the Republicans and the President without seeming confrontational.

Both stuck to 1 word - better. Vallaraigosa focused on "America Can do Better". Kaine focused on finding "A Better Way".

Kaine - though showing his nerves in the beginning - hammered home the point that America needs to return to a nation of service. If the Dems can follow up on this point. If Chairman Dean had a great plan coming out of Kaine's speech, that would help. Because we are a nation founded on service, the service industry is taking over, and politicians are public servants.
Nevertheless, Kaine zeroed in on where and how Americans are frustrated with the government. Saying:

Our faith and values teach us that there's no higher calling than serving others.
Our federal government should serve the American people. But that mission is frustrated by this administration's poor choices and bad management.

Kaine focused on specific points where "poor" management and "bad" decisions were hurting the U.S. He repeated the phrase "There is a better way" 7 times and said best 5 times. That is how a speech should be.

Vallaraigosa was a little more forceful. Maybe because he is official nonpartisan. Maybe because the mainstream would not hear the full speech. Maybe because he knew specifically the issues facing the target of his speech - not forcing him to speak in generalities. Regardless - the mayor did not mince words. He gave - as he put it - a real state of the union. Stating these facts:

Next month, because of the reckless policies of this administration, America's national debt will rise to nearly $8.2 trillion dollars. I am here tonight to say: we are mortgaging our children's futures, and it is morally wrong.

Today, 46 million Americans and 39 percent of Latinos, many of whom work full-time at the hardest jobs, don't have access to health insurance. We can't be a healthy nation if we don't face this challenge once and for all.

Today, 6 million children are on the verge of failing out of school; and eleven million Americans can't read a bus schedule or fill out a job application. It is time to put the issue of fixing our public schools to the front and center of the national debate.

Under this administration, 4 million people have fallen from the working class into the ranks of the poor.

And the new jobs that are being created pay less than the ones we've lost. We need an aggressive national strategy to build the skills of our workforce and to promote America's competitiveness in the global economy.

Our troops are serving bravely in the Middle East, but Americans are increasingly divided and doubtful about the objectives of this mission.

While we did have some Kerry-esque flashbacks with the whole "America can do better" theme. But what I liked most was his specific statement of what Democrats stand for and will be doing this year and in the future.

All in all - I think the responses far outshined the official SOTU speech. And I am disappointed that the Dems don't seem to be steamrolling ahead to build on the momentum we should have from this speech. This is an election year for crying out loud. We gotta get our issues out there and make our voices heard. For too long we've allowed the GOP to frame the debate when we have valid points to make. Bush is going to the Midwest to shore up support in the Red states - where the hell are we? Kaine and Vallaraigosa turned in exemplary performances, but did we mean it? Are the Dems standing behind what was said or was that just for show? I guess what I'm asking is - are we going to get off our butts and take back the House and Senate?