Some people speak from their depths, and some speak from their shallows. Some speak to make a name in some political game they're playing. But others speak from wells of a moral conviction. Their words are not applause lines; they endure.

Barack Obama spoke at the Democratic convention from his depths. His speech was not just meant to help the Democrats win an election; it was to identify a historical crisis and address a spiritual need. The former law professor spoke from his deep love for the US constitution, the whole intellectual and moral regime that has been built around it and the way it is now being betrayed by a self-indulgent narcissist.