McCain and Palin made that a theme.

First, “Palin brought down the house with a take-no-prisoners speech”.

She did that — and after putting up with a week’s worth
of insults, sexism and condescension from liberals who talk a good game
about expanding opportunity as long as they get the credit.

Democrats in the media — oops, I mean, some in the Democratic Party
and in the media — even went after Palin’s family. There are vicious
street gangs that won’t even cross that line. Appropriately, the hockey
mom threw off her gloves and gave her tormenters the rhetorical beating
they deserved.

Such as when Palin said that, while Democrats say they’re fighting
for you, “There is only one man in this election who has ever really
fought for you…in places where winning means survival and defeat means
death. And that man is John McCain.”

And when McCain took the microphone, he too delivered a glorious
speech — even though, as with Obama’s speech last week, it came with
contradictions.

Although unlike Obama’s, McCain’s speech paid honor to his opponent from the start.

First, McCain offered his respect and admiration to Obama and his supporters.

“Despite our differences,” he said, “much more unites us than
divides us. We are fellow Americans, and that’s an association that
means more to me than any other.”

Then McCain explained why that is. “We’re dedicated to the
proposition that all people are created equal and endowed by our
creator with inalienable rights,” he said.

“No country — no country ever had a greater cause than that. And I
wouldn’t be an American worthy of the name if I didn’t honor Sen. Obama
and his supporters for their achievement.”

Classy and dignified.

The most rousing part of the speech, appropriately, came at the end, which McCain hopes is the new beginning.

“Fight with me,” McCain implored. “Fight for what’s
right for our country. Fight for the ideals and character of a free
people. Fight for our children’s future. Fight for justice and
opportunity for all…Stand up, stand up, stand up, and fight! Nothing is
inevitable. We’re Americans, and we never give up! We never quit! We
never hide from history! We make history!”

And the crowd went wild.

Now, they’ve all hit the road.