Fine on substance but a bit more stilted in delivery than I expected from a guy so media savvy, especially given the base’s passion on this subject. Steele’s used to going off the cuff in his role as telepundit; see, e.g., his RNC acceptance speech for how comfortable he is speaking extemporaneously. Maybe he should prep for these things that way — start with an outline of points and then do it impromptu in a few takes, stitching together the best parts of each. He needs to be on his game, as the media will be itching to compare him unfavorably to The One and these weekend message duels give them a perfect excuse.

Also, can we give the man a set worthy of his station? Obama’s been using warm lighting and handsome wood-paneled offices as backdrops for his video communiques since the primaries. This looks like it was shot during a commercial break on “Hannity.”