"Validators" Will Help Obama Unlock White House Door

Turning our attention to the inevitable general election match-up between Obama and McCain, it is becoming increasingly clear to both Democratic and Republican strategists that if the campaign is centered on the issues, Obama will win. On issue after issue -- from Iraq to the economy to health care -- Obama's positions are aligned with an overwhelming majority of the American people. All the while McCain's "Bush-like" stances are deeply unpopular or inadequate.

For this reason alone, it is widely assumed that McCain's handlers will quickly turn the Arizona Senator's modus operandi from straight talk to hate talk. Barack Obama and his team understands that the strategy against him will be simple -- raise doubts about his religious affiliation, values and patriotism; raise questions about the sincerity of his commitment to a mainstream, inclusive domestic agenda; and sow concerns about his desire to pursue a strong foreign policy that keeps America and its traditional allies safe and secure.

Republicans believe that in Barack Obama lies the ideal "exotic" opponent for their tear-down politics. Indeed, they have watched and taken notes as Hillary Clinton has gained traction among white middle- and lower-income voters against the more compelling Obama - by hinting in tandem with conservative pundits -- at his "otherness" in a calculated campaign to raise questions about his values and worldview.

Heading into the summer, it will be far more necessary than for most candidates that Obama develop a complement of strong "validators." That is because Obama remains a relatively unknown commodity with an uncommon pedigree. Obama's collection of advocates must be comprised of well-known individuals of undisputed patriotism, mainstream "American" values and unimpeachable integrity. Further, this arsenal will have to be actively and creatively engaged throughout the campaign -- far more so than John Kerry's band of traveling Vietnam War vets - in the effort to verify Obama's mainstream American values.

One of the benefits to Obama of the hard fought primary campaign has been the identification of demographic slices that are skeptical of his candidacy. White "blue collar" types, senior citizens, Hispanic and Jewish voters seem to be particularly challenging subgroups of the traditional Democratic coalition for Obama. To many of these voters, the choice of the like-minded Clinton over Obama doesn't signify a difference over politics, but a preference for a candidate that appears safer and less uncertain. For Obama to lock down these voters in the general election, he will have to expend considerable effort to address the doubt that has been raised among many of these voters.

In order to meet this challenge, Obama will need this legion of so-called validators -- from the nationally known to the locally respected. Television advertising won't do the trick. Only trusted leaders from within the electorate can provide the necessary assurance to voters who support Obama's policies, but may be hesitant to pull the lever on election day.

Comments

[katefranklin]

People are going to be bored out of their gourd with Rev. Wright by November. They're going to absorb Rev. Wright for some 210 days, but they'll eventually have to think about the issues over this period of time. If they vote based on Rev. Wright, and choose to ignore the Hagees and Parsleys that lurk on the other side, then they were not going to vote for Obama anyway. Who needs 'em. Not to mention, fundamentalist Christians are not going to be thrilled that Mike Huckabee is not on the ticket, and that their lesser of two evils is a divorce who referred to their figureheads as an "agent of intolerance".

[BillZBubb]

Obama doesn't have a prayer in November. The Republicans are going to go after him and no number "validators" are going to undo the negative picture they will successfully paint.

There are major problems for Obama and his supporters. If he responds in kind to the Republican attacks, he puts the lie to his platform of "new politics". That said, watching his supporters trash the Clintons and every other Democrat who has said something supportive of her or critical of him (or even staying above the fray like Al Gore), let's me know there will be no shortage of vitriol thrown at McCain from Obama's base. But that won't be enough since they are mainly screaming at other Democrats.

To blame Obama's troubles on issues the Clinton campaign has talked about is absurd. The Republicans knew about every one of those items and more. They would have preferred that Reverend Wright was kept out of the news until after the Democratic convention, when they could use it in a short, shock, negative ad campaign. Now, they'll have to recycle it and it will have less impact. But, they'll get mileage out of it. Plus, it kills any opportunity for Obama to question the power of the religious right in Republican politics.

[Incredulous]

Maybe the message of hate trumps the message of hope in you're sad little world. And if the message of hate wins out in the November election, America will get EXACTLY what it deserves, and the chickens will REALLY come home to roost.

[margoharris]

Bring um on! He will not only win, but will win in a landslide!

[laksa]

That is an interesting observation. Who are the validators for Obama the author has in mind? May be he can throw them out for discussions.

[unitron]

What I'm waiting to see is how the Republicans are going to simultaneously try to convince everyone that Obama is Muslim and has spent the last 20 years sitting in a Christian church being brainwashed by Rev. Wright.

[DrDemon]

Obama will provide the best chance for this country to be guided in a positive direction on all counts!