SocraticGadfly: Why isn’t Obama way in front?

August 11, 2008

Why isn’t Obama way in front?

A bipartisan group of pundits at Salon mulls just that question.

A few thoughts about what they’re saying.

Obama, in his own way, has a “Dukakis problem” on not appearing emotional.

All the pundits think Obama has to define/defend himself in a way Reagan did in 1980.
I disagree. Per a commenter to Talking Points Memo, I think Obama has let himself get put in that box, to some degree, by the crappy campaign he appears to be running right now. I don’t think Obama “has to” run this campaign on the grounds of defending/defining himself, though.

Obama has more weaknesses to shore up right now than McCain.
I would agree at least in part, and that’s a sad reflection on Obama. And a sign of just how much Hillary Clinton (and her staff) blew the primary campaign.

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