One thing is Not Going to be apparent from Reading the transcript ... the way he overcame being a slave to audience reaction by the end of the speech, gained the confidence that, d'uh, he is microcphoned and will be heard around the nation even if people in the hall are yelling.
Before that, he kept stumbling when the audience would insist on applause breaks. The worst tendencies of repeating the start of a sentence 3 times and the like ... really some of the worst public speaking pitfalls and sloppiness.
Then he had to actually
quell the crowd when hecklers twice threatened to interrupt the speech. And even though they were never heard, interrupt it they did. The crowds' anti-chant visibly threw McCain off balance. He recovered the second time better with a cute one-liner, but two times in five minutes he completely lost control of the rythym of his words and themes, and was noticeably shaken.
(None of that will be in the written transcript.)
All the more amazing to me, then, when he ignored the cries and clamors of the crowds during his inspirational finale. Just talked right through it, kept the proper cadence to give the ooomph to the speech (said oomph also not likely be apparent from reading it, scaeagles).
And far from drowning him out, the roar of the audience served only to accentuate the "Oh-Yessitude" of John McCain's big finish.
Ok, well, much as I do not want to abide Mr. McCain as president, he doesn't make my skin crawl.
Sarah Palin, on the other hand, gives me the complete creeps.
