The Best of Speeches, The Worst of Speeches

Barack Obama is normally a very good orator, not great but very good. While he rarely leads, he does a terrific job of pandering, not as good as Clinton but pretty darn good. Often, that's enough to convince the audience that he's with them.

But his speech tonight didn't work. It was disjointed, literally. It was flat.

It will resonate with neither citizens nor lawmakers.

It is a blown opportunity. He will be behind the political momentum for the balance of the year, responding but not leading.

As a President, this is the beginning of his irrelevancy.