McCain isn’t a great orator, and most of his speech was slow, but the end, not just the tale of his transformation in captivity, but also the end calls, quiet but firm calls, to stand up and fight, which he kept going while the crowd cheered around him, was very, very powerful. It spoke to a segment of voters who love, have always loved, America, but are frustrated and disheartened. Our government, and many of our other public institutions, seem broken and impervious to fixing. He said don’t give up. Stand up and fight.

It’s his real response to Obama’s Hope and Change.