Obama did something last night I thought was impossible — he made a soaring, yet practical case for the Democratic party, while simultaneously taking down Bush, McSame and the failures of their GOP. The Republicans thought he was just going to go out there and play the violin again, and he did — then promptly kneecapped them. Obama’s a political pugilist who makes music with his punches. And I’ve never seen anything like it.

A few media reax:

The L.A. Times:

Barack Obama accepted the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday night with a scathing assessment of John McCain and a blunt indictment of the Bush administration, promising to repair "the broken politics of Washington" and preside over a more prosperous and equitable America.

The N.Y. Times:

Barack Obama accepted the Democratic Party presidential nomination on Thursday, declaring that the “American promise has been threatened” by eight years under President Bush and that John McCain represented a continuation of policies that undermined the nation’s economy and imperiled its standing around the world.

The Chicago Tribune:

Barack Obama accepted the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday night on a specially constructed soundstage in Denver’s Invesco Field. His 44-minute speech mixed a searing indictment of his Republican opponent and the Republican incumbent with Clintonesque personal touches and Reaganesque optimism, promising to repair "the broken politics of Washington" and preside over a more prosperous and equitable America.

The Washington Post:

Sen. Barack Obama, the first African American to lead a major-party ticket, accepted the Democratic nomination for president Thursday night, sharply criticizing Republican John McCain and casting the election as "our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive."