Americans arrived at the end of the Democratic convention Thursday night with a clear idea of what that side of the house is offering the country in November.

With Republican candidate Sen. John McCain having chosen Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate yesterday, that party's picture also has come into clearer focus in advance of its convention next week in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

The speech Thursday night by Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama, before a crowd of some 80,000 in Denver's Invesco stadium, may not have reached the rhetorical beauty of John F. Kennedy's 1960 acceptance speech, but it was nonetheless a work of political art. Mr. Obama outlined the menu of domestic and external issues that he will be putting before the American electorate. In doing so, he countered with a new level of specificity the Republican criticism that he is dealing in dreams, not programs. He also put forward the individual policy positions that he plans to debate with his Republican opponent.

Without going into those specifics, it is worth noting that the common theme among them stressed by Mr. Obama was that the administration of President Bush has failed Americans at home and abroad, that the country can do better and it is time for change.

The convention effectively met several other needs of the voters as a prelude to the formal launch of the fall campaign. Anyone who followed the event now has a better understanding of Barack Obama, his story and, particularly, his family. A clear image also emerged of vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware. He has been a public figure for years, but never at the national level of scrutiny that he will receive now.

The idea that somehow unsuccessful Democratic candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York or her ex-presidential spouse were going to torpedo Mr. Obama's candidacy turned out to be a partly media-fed chimera. Mrs. Clinton gave an impressive and straightforward speech of support Tuesday for Mr. Obama, while Mr. Clinton's address the next night was vintage and masterful advocacy of Mr. Obama's election.

The Democratic convention also showcased some promising new talent to keep an eye on: Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas and Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, to name only two. In addition to Mr. Clinton, the party's venerated warhorses -- former President Jimmy Carter, the 2000 nominee and Oscar and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore and a very ill Sen. Ted Kennedy -- paraded well.

The stage is now set for the Republicans to do likewise in presenting their talent and case to the American people next week in the Twin Cities.