NP: John Cage, 4'33" (extended dance mix)

One of the reasons I've taken to Nate Silver is one of the same reasons I enjoy reading Ana Marie Cox so much. He doesn't seem to view all this through the lenses of conventional political wisdom.

In a post about Obama's speech -- see, I'm still talking about it! -- Silver points out:

The Republicans were probably anticipating a more abstract, uplifting, grandiose address -- one more in line with the Obama caricature, and one which would make for easy critique in the context of the grandiose setting of an NFL stadium. Instead, Obama's speech was specific, hard-hitting, and functional. It wasn't a speech intended for the Rhetoric Hall of Fame; it was one intended to be responsive to the political winds of August 28, 2008. One needn't worry about trying to beat expectations when one is able to defy them.

That last line really, really nails it. For me, anyway.