re: Whether you like it or not Biden has come to the table strong tonight.

Tville's right. The speech wasn't impressive by objective standards, but it didn't have to be. Biden and the Dem's theatrics tonight did enough to energize its base and quell the rising criticism of Biden's mental faculties. Flawed as it was, it was enough to provide the MSM and the Dem voting base with plausible deniability and a life preserver heading into the championship rounds.