Megan McArdle, Columnist

How Obama Learned to Speak Republican

His speech at the Democratic convention included one very shrewd tactic: reminding Republicans that Trump does not represent their ideals.

He offers Republicans a face-saving way to vote for Clinton.

Photographer: Alex Wong/Getty Images
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Republicans who look at the matter objectively must be watching the prime-time lineup at the Democratic National Convention with no small amount of envy. Whatever you think of the content of their speeches, the Obamas, Cory Booker, and Bill Clinton each have better delivery than anyone who spoke at the Republican convention last week -- in part because so many of the Republican Party’s top talents found pressing reasons to be elsewhere.

Last night Barack Obama reminded us how he managed to sweep practically out of nowhere and win the presidency in 2008. As I once heard someone say about a different speaker, the world lost a great talker when he wasn’t born twins.