Abbreviated Pundit Round-up: Smiling Clinton eviscerates the GOP

Twitter Political Index (higher numbers mean more positive tweets)
No more effective political communication weapon than a well done "now here's what's really going on..." speech. Clinton best ever at it.
' @murphymike via Twittelator Neue
The Fix:

WINNERS

* Bill Clinton: You don't have to agree with the policies of the former president to appreciate that tonight you were watching a master at work.  (The Fix isn't a LeBron James fan but when you watch that dude play basketball, you are watching something very, very special.) From the moment he walked onstage to, naturally, 'Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow', Clinton had the crowd in the palm of his hand. But, rather than throw partisan bombs and red meat, Clinton went in a different direction ' touting the importance of reaching across the partisan aisle and defending the nobleness of politics as a profession. He was the explainer-in-chief without seeming too preachy. He was full of Southern aphorisms without being hokey.  And, perhaps most importantly of all, Clinton was quite clearly having a very good time ' and he let it show. He adlibbed. He played with the crowd. He smiled and laughed. And, yes, he went on a little too long.  But, if you are a student of campaign politics ' like we are ' what you watched tonight was the work of someone with massive natural ability in the political arena. Read Clinton's prepared remarks.

* Bill Clinton: I mean, seriously.

Damned near every right-winger in my feed: "C'mon, that really...um...wasn't THAT good. Am I right?" (nervous chuckle)
' @stevesingiser via web

AP:

Conceding that many struggling in a slow-recovery economy don't yet feel improvement, Clinton said circumstances are indeed getting better, ''and if you'll renew the president's contract you will feel it.''

To the cheers of thousands of Democrats packed into their convention hall, he said of Obama, ''I want to nominate a man who is cool on the outside but who burns for America on the inside.''

#narrativealert #waitfordata MT @thinkprogress: GOP consultant Alex Castellanos on CNN: "the moment that probably reelected Barack Obama"
' @BrendanNyhan via Seesmic

WaPo:

Wednesday's speakers systematically tore apart virtually aspect of Romney's record and views. For the second straight night, Democratic speakers highlighted Romney's personal wealth to cast him as far out of touch with the nation's middle class.

'Mitt Romney's only bottom line is the one at the end of his own bank statement,' Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.) said. 'The problem is that he confuses his own narrow self-interest - and that of people like him - with the national interest.

Three workers who were laid off by companies owned by Romney's private equity firm, Bain Capital, presented a scathing critique of Romney's business ethics by touching on themes the Obama campaign has hammered all summer.

The difference between Tampa and Charlotte is that the scathing Dem critique has the advantage of being true.

Clinton said more nice things about GW Bush than all RNC speakers combined
' @JamesFallows via TweetDeck
Matt Miller:

All I can say is this: If Democrats can make every undecided voter sit down and watch Bill Clinton's speech, this thing is over.

Amused by conservative carping about length of speech. I didn't hear many wasted breaths.  They're really, really reaching.
' @ed_kilgore via web
Greg Sargent:

Here's the key to understanding the barn burner of a speech Bill Clinton just delivered. Senior Dems believe Clinton has taken on a unique role in American politics: They think he is seen by genuine undecided and swing voters as a kind of 'referee' figure ' someone who they can trust to tell them what to think about politics and the economy. These voters, Dems believe, think he understands exactly the kind of economy he want.

Clinton played that role with great gusto tonight, delivering a strong pitch for a second Obama term, combined with a sharp, point by point response to virtually every major GOP argument against him.

"Too partisan for bounces" theory of the electorate about to be put to the test.
' @DemFromCT via TweetDeck
PolitiFact on Clinton's speech

"Since 1961 ' our private economy produced 66 million private-sector jobs. So what's the jobs score? Republicans 24 million, Democrats 42 million."

Our ruling:

Clinton's figures check out, and they also mirror the broader results we came up with two years ago. Partisans are free to interpret these findings as they wish, but on the numbers, Clinton's right. We rate his claim True.