David Gergen and my wife hear a symphony

"It was not a speech, it was a symphony."

Thus spake David Gergen of Barack Obama's acceptance speech tonight - David Gergen, who has heard and vetted a few presidential acceptance speeches in his day.

Gergen is the historian, the poet, the critic on CNN's hit-and-miss political coverage team, which may be the "best on television," but only because it has Gergen.

If Gergen were to switch to covering politics for the Boise, Idaho community-access channel, that show would immediately beat the Wolf Blitzer/Anderson Cooper team Gergen would be leaving behind at CNN.

I know. I live with a woman who has fallen under the spell of Gergen. She is a hard sell. She most certainly is not under my spell. She digs Gergen - needs Gergen.

"Gergen! Gergen! Gergen!" my wife began to chant at the television, after CNN cut to commentary, following the exit from the convention stage of the Obamas and Bidens.

My wife and I at times agree to disagree - on my music, on her music, on the desired temperature in the car. We agree on Gergen.

Given the historic nature of this election, in terms of demographics, let me identify the demographics in this duet. Gergen is a white guy. My wife is a black woman. She is far blacker (I am describing only skin tone) than Barack or Michelle Obama.

She was born in Africa, like Obama's absentee dad, but she is a voting American now. Her vote will count as much on Nov. 5 as Gergen's or Obama's.

She grew up not voting in a nation run by a dictatorship, where her vote would have been meaningless. She is excited to vote in a country where she believes her vote will count.

"He seemed to be bigger tonight, on television," Gergen said, of Obama tonight. "It almost seems as if he's growing into the job."

Let him grow, let him grow, let him grow.

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Image is a 2006 shot of Powell Symphony Hall during a concert from somebody's Flickr site.