OBAMA DELIVERS…. I’ll have more in the morning, of course, but I just have to say, this was as forceful a speech as I’ve seen Barack Obama deliver, and it worked extremely well.

I made a few notes this afternoon about things to watch for: 1) take the fight to McCain; 2) lay out a specific agenda; 3) counter and innoculate attacks. Obama did all of that, and then some.

I don’t know what the pundits are saying right now, but from where I sat, that was one hell of a speech.

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Follow Steve on Twitter @stevebenen. Steve Benen is a producer at MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show. He was the principal contributor to the Washington Monthly's Political Animal blog from August 2008 until January 2012.