Hillary has done what no other speaker has done so far which is make a case for governance by the Democratic Party. It was not a mere "puff speech," but a political speech. It framed what should be the message of the Democratic Party: universal health care, affordable quality education, civil rights, labor rights, womens' rights, gay rights, ending discrimination, promoting unionization, clean energy economy. (Of the speeches I've heard, Hillary's is also the first to mention gay rights.) Anglachel:

But what it was, from the first line to the last, was a full-force evocation of what it means to be a Democrat. In a season where we have been bombarded by bipartisan, everybody let's hug, don't say anything bad about the Republicans, don't be partisan be Obamacan, Unity Ponies for everyone balderdash, Hillary took the party by the scruff of its dithering neck and made it look at the reason we are a party in the first place.

When will we ever learn? The reason we lose is because people don't think we stand for anything. Instead of being forthright and bold, we offer market-tested platitudes, and try to substitute a cult of personality for program, hoping against hope that no one will notice that we're "progressives" and--oh, the dread!--criticize us for it.

Theatrics, huge rallies, crafting a nifty "brand"--none of that matters a whit. Standing for something and fighting for it--that's what constitutes an effective political party. Thanks to Hillary Clinton for reminding us of that.