Before we all completely forget last night’s Obama speech, let’s consider this bit of media group think.

Peggy Noonan notes this:

“I’m actually putting a little edge on my criticism just to make up for the fact that on MSNBC last night somebody said, quote, ‘it wasn’t a speech: it was a symphony.’ I’m sorry; I won’t even name who did it. I am here to balance that bit of fatuous — fatuous suck-upping!”

Peggy may not name who said that on MSNBC.  But we’ll gladly name who said it on CNN.

David Gergen:

“As a speech, I was deeply impressed. In many ways it was less a speech than a symphony.”

Looks like the symphony talking point really got around the cable control rooms.

By the way, if you’re really keeping score, where did the symphony idea generate?

Check out the August 15, 1996 NewsHour:

WILLIAM SAFIRE: … We salivate at the construction of a good acceptance speech, which is like a symphony.

DAVID GERGEN: Sure.

And one last thought about Obama’s speech.  Actually, a last thing.

Here’s what he said last night:

I will cut taxes - cut taxes - for 95% of all working families. Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle-class.

The last thing?  Doesn’t that put raising taxes on the list — as the last thing he’ll do?  Tax cut purists would prefer: one thing we’ll never do is raise taxes on the middle-class.

Now that’s a symphonic movement that would be music to our ears.

A press release from South Carolina ETV (public broadcasting):

Democratic Congressman Jim Clyburn of South Carolina pulled no punches on South Carolina ETV Radio Friday when asked to assess John McCain’s selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for vice president.

Without missing a beat, Clyburn told Mark Quinn, host of “The Big Picture on the Radio,” “I do believe that McCain has to do something to reshuffle the cards, shake up the establishment, do something unexpected and Governor Palin…has all the kinds of things that McCain might see as a way to shake things up. I think (her selection) would be something similar to Dan Quayle…Dan Quayle proved to be sort of an embarrassment as a campaigner. Being thrust on a national stage like that could be very tough. Now Mondale tried to shake things up by going with Geraldine Ferraro…she proved to be a disaster as a running mate. And as a campaigner, she was absolutely awful.  And so I just think that it is very risky for McCain to do this, but it may be all he has left.”

Several loyal readers are noting that McCain-Palin may be the most far west ticket ever (you certainly can’t take the Amtrak from Alaska to Washington). Richard even notes below that this is the first ticket from states that begin with “A.”  Now there’s a Palin-drome for ya!

But here’s the angle we’re intrigued by — Jews on a roll!

First this:

Now this:

Instapundit:

I’VE HEARD OF KNOCKING THEIR SOCKS OFF, but their eyelashes? “Daytime talk show diva and billionaire businesswoman Oprah Winfrey, who played a crucial early primary role in raising the prominence of her fellow Chicagoan Barack Obama, was so moved by her man’s Democratic acceptance speech Thursday night that she cried off her false eyelashes.”

Funny that Oprah had that reaction when she saw Obama.  I had that reaction when I saw Tom Cruise.

Nice (R-AK).

… and rejects one in particular.

The crowd chants: “No he can’t!  No he can’t  No he can’t!”

Here now is the next installment of our regular series — the Joke Reality Check — in which we put jokes told on the campaign trail or in the media or in the general political discussion through a VIP check-up and washing. We check whether jokes are stolen, poorly-premised, or poorly written or delivered. And we offer strategic advice to improve the attempt. If we’re not too lazy.

Here’s Bill Clinton last night at the Democratic convention:

“What a year we Democrats have had. The primary began with an all-star line up. And it came down to two remarkable Americans locked in a hard-fought contest right to the very end. That campaign generated so much heat, it increased global warming.”

Global warming as a punchline is OK. Serviceable. But not very topical.

Here’s the direction we would have gone:

“What a year we Democrats have had. The primary began with an all-star line up. And it came down to two remarkable Americans locked in a hard-fought contest right to the very end. That campaign generated so much heat … But enough about Chris Matthews versus Keith Olbermann.”