JD's Big Night: Five Significant Takeaways . . .

J. D. Vance didn't have to hit a home run last night. An so, it's probably best that he didn't. The home run is reserved for the Main Event and the man at the top of the ticket and that happens tonight. 

Instead, J. D. only had to hit a solid RBI double or a triple and he achieved that impressively.

Here are the five big takeaways from his speech:

1) He's a happy warrior. From the start, J. D. set the crowd at ease by appearing relaxed, cheerful and confident. His story can be heavy and somber but he didn't present it that way. Instead, he focused not on the obstacles he faced but on the opportunities that America gave him to overcome those obstacles. And he played off the crowd charmingly.

2) He's realistic, and forgiving. He realized what he had to do in life and he made the tough decisions to get from where he was to where he longed to be. He forgave his mom for the damages done by her absence and neglect and, in a poignant and gracious moment, acknowledged her and told he he loves her. He's now building and nurturing the family he never had. He's a good man.

3) He's humble. He's not a chest thumper or a scene-stealer or a spotlight grabber. And he's secure enough in who he is to recognize that he shouldn't be -- not now, and not for the position he seeks. He understands the role of Vice President and he seems ready to assume that mantle. That's comforting.

4) He's the face of a new generation. In choosing Vance, President Trump (who is part of the first wave of baby boomers) skipped gen x and reached into the millennial generation to show the way forward. He chose someone who is half his age. This is audacious, no question about it. But it's also probably the right thing to do and this seems to be the right time and the right person to do it with as Vance comes across as heartfelt and credible.

5) This is a new party now. And this was probably the paramount theme of Vance's message. He's a new face and this is a new party. This is a more grassroots-centered party. It's grittier; more populist; more rooted in the natural, everyday heartbeat of America, more attuned to the patriotic pulse of this nation and more protective of our nationhood. 

We'll leave you with these very important words from the speech:

America is not just an idea. It is a group of people with a shared history and a common future. It is, in short, a nation. Now, it is part of that tradition, of course, that we welcome newcomers. But when we allow newcomers into our American family, we allow them on our terms. . . . That’s not just a set of principles. Even though the ideas and the principles are great, that is a homeland. That is our homeland. People will not fight for abstractions, but they will fight for their home. And if this movement of ours is going to succeed, and if this country is going to thrive, our leaders have to remember that America is a nation, and its citizens deserve leaders who put its interests first.