Obama Goes On the Offense

No, Barack Obama did not land a knockout blow tonight. But he showed that he fully understands that the best defense is a good offense. After weeks of absorbing punishment from John McCain, Obama went on the attack.

Obama's decision to target McCain so closely was a risky strategy, but it paid off.

The contrast with past Democratic candidates such as John Kerry and Michael Dukakis could not have been starker. Obama showed that he does not conform to the image of the Democrat as wussbag by directly assailing McCain's foreign policy credentials -- specifically, his claim that he would "follow" Osama bin Laden to the "gates of hell." But why just follow? As Obama made clear, he needs to be taken out.

The Obama campaign should keep concentrating its firepower on the Bush-McCain foreign policy record. McCain isn't simply a cheerleader for the Iraq War; he helped dream it up. If McCain does select Tom Ridge as his running mate, Ridge's lamentable record running the Homeland Security Department will offer a target-rich environment. Obviously, Joe Biden will take the lead in examining the McCain record in coming weeks, while Obama takes as high a road as he can.

But his performance tonight should silence the doubters about his candidacy. Obama came out fighting tonight. His fluid, tough, and forcefully delivered speech indicates that he will be a formidable and potentially devastating opponent in the fall presidential debates. Anyone who can't see that just doesn't get it.

Comments

[Indeedwespeak]

Palin sounds like a female Bush---ready and willing to take orders if and when she is put "in charge". Bush has Cheney, who will Palin answer to if she is part of the winning ticket and somehow later becomes prez? Will Cheney stick around for his second act?????

[sailorman09]

To those who question Obama's experience, he like Lincoln had 8 yrs in the state legislature. Lincoln lost a US Senate election and really got he presidential nomination after his debating skills got noticed in a big way. Sound familiar. So Obama has more experience than one of our best presidents and to those who say the state house experience is not meaningful, think again.
George Bush had only one politcal job before being president, the part-time governor of Texas which had a suplus when he went to the govvernor's mansion and a large deficit when he left.

[WillK]

Count me as one who does not think Obama has sufficient experience to be president. Your examples do little to convince me otherwise. Comparing Lincoln's experience to Obama's ignores completely the times in which each lived or are living - they are so vastly different as to render the comparison meaningless. And equating Bush with Obama hardly makes your case, given that Bush is the worse president this nation has ever had - okay, one of the worse.

Obama can make a speech, and he certainly can inspire the masses. But I fail to see the substance. One example: the pledge in his acceptance speech to make the country energy independent in ten years. How does he propose to do this? It is a completely ridiculous statement, since it is impossible within the bounds of known physics to achieve energy independence in ten years. Cannot be done. A shame, really.

[tedeger]

I do have a small argument - It seems to me that, based on her performance as Governor of Alaska, Palin is probably more qualified for the Presidency than McCain - which may not be saying much. If McCain dropped dead right after the election is stolen by the Rove forces, it might be good for the country. Otherwise, we HAVE to make sure that the forces of organized crime and the GOP thieves do not manage to steal their third election in a row.

[Bulldoglover]

1 and 1/2 years as Gov. of AL does mean she has more experience than McCain or Obama LOL What makes you think that? LOL Listening to the GOP line again? LOL This is the funniest thing I have heard all day!

[jnealy1234]

OBAMA/BIDEN
If you are an OBAMA supporter but not volunteering time for the campaign to get folks in your city registerd to vote; you need to contact an Obama HQ near you and get going. We don't have much time.

SEE YOU IN NOV. 2008 AT THE POLL

[3in1]

obama should call Palin for a game of hoops.

[Spooled]

Obama could have won this election on his own. If he would have chosen someone that was an outsider. The biggest problem Obama has at this time is his link to Joe Biden. Joe Biden has spent a fair amount of time trying to dismantle the 2nd amendment. This is a very, very serious problem. The media has stayed away from this issue, but it makes Biden poison for Obama's campaign. With McCain's pick of Palin, America's integrity has once again been insulted. She is clearly not qualified to be a VP of the United States. The fact that she was nominated at all is very troubling, and suggest a much deeper problem, which involves the lack of respect being shown to the Presidency and Vice Presidency of this Country. It is very troubling.

Two things in particular dictate a very rocky road for the Obama Campaign. These two issues go directly to the credibility of Obama and Biden both, as it relates to their view of Civil Liberties.

1. Obama's support of the FISA Bill, which attacked the 4th Amendment.

2. Biden's continuous work over the years to dismantle the 2nd Amendment

We may not be able to save this Country afterall. Not if these two issues are forced upon the Obama Campaign. Obama has got some serious Civil Liberty problems, that I am sure McCain is going to exploit to the fullest.

[yhgtup]

Barack's speech was fantastic!!! Our local Obama campaign had a viewing party. It was an occasion I will never forget. He answered McCain's attacks with grace & conviction. He spelled-out quite a few of his policies, as time would allow, very well. He spoke to those who didn't know, his background. He was commanding & presidential. Anybody who had a problem with Barack's speech last night, needs to take themselves out of their misery & vote for McTrash, because that's what they want to do anyway.

[zitlight73]

My skepticism of our whole election process borders on cynical. With my enthusiasm duly curbed I wish Obama all the best. In an honest election I can't see how he could lose, McCain has chained his campaign to the disastrous Bush administration, even the most ignorant redneck can see this country is going down in flames as he shells out a better part of a day's wage just to get back and forth from work each week, that is if he's lucky enough to still have a full-time job. I don't believe the polls that show such a close race. I'm sure there are a few million who won't vote for Obama because of race but I think they're overwhelmingly outnumbered of Americans who are just plain disgusted with what the Republicans have done to this country. And there not just a few Republicans who'd like a Democrat in the White House when all the Republican bills come due much like the way they left George Sr.hung out to dry. If history holds true Americans will vote their pocketbook. But in recent history our last two presidential elections were outright stolen, the specter of Diebold Voting machines rears its ugly head.

[realistic2008]

I agree. I wish someone among the speakers would have called the president , his administration and his Party what they are in plain English. Liars, cheaters, warmongers, abusers, thieves just to mention a few and someone should have promised to the American people that eventually they'll be judged and spend the rest of their lives paying for it.. That will be the best way to earn back the respect from people all over the world.

[wendy82551]

While I agree with the sentiment, I don't agree with the namecalling, because I think Obama has made a very wise move in claiming the moral high ground by saying that while he will aggressively attack McCain's ideas and policies and past actions, he will not attack his character. If he sticks to that--aggressively attacking the ideas while refusing to engage in character assassination--he makes it damned difficult for McCain to continue as he has without looking like the totally cynical sleazeball that he has been looking like these past few weeks.

[MIKEinNYC]

Looks like McCain's choice for veep totally took the wind out of Obama's sails today. I tune in to the various radio talk shows and NOBODY is talking about Obama. It's all Sarah Palin.

[MIKEinNYC]

McCain is killing Obama, 67%-33% in AOL's straw poll

(http://news.aol.com/political-machine/2008/08/26/aol-straw-poll-aug-25-sept-1 )

after 350,000 votes.

Not good for Obamians. (Or is that "Obama-ites"?)

[fiorastar]

Who cares about AOL's Time/Warner right wing corporate "straw poll"? Anyone still using AOL falls into one of two categories: 1) using it to watch the other side and do any email that might generate mountains of spam, or 2) completely bedazzled by the tripe and the hype the CEO's of the U.S. spout forth for their "entertainment" while stealing everything they have.

[myworld]

Dont get caught up with polls ,enjoy the straw lead on paper while obama tumble weeds and sweeps the nation!

[MIKEinNYC]

Palin is cute in a Dr. Melfi kind of way.

[AlindaFaye2000]

The eletoral moved more toward Obama today. He's still ahead there. The sails he needs are the ones on Nov. 4.

[heal57]

It's short term hype that will wind up long term fizzle.

[weslenforever]

Two ads for Obama!

#1: Biden AND the Clintons in separate ads: "A year ago, I didn't think Obama was ready to be our "Commander In Chief". Over the course of the past year I have watched and listened to Barack Obama. Barack Obama has studied and learned and listened to the American People and made himself READY. Barack Obama has learned a LOT in the past year. So much can happen in a year. Barack knows how and is willing to "change his mind" when circumstances change. Barack Obama knows how to "adjust". What about John McCain? Well you can't teach an OLD DOG new tricks. Do you want "More of the Same with John McCain?" Or do you want a new direction for America, led by a man who REALLY practices the "FAMILY VALUES" we all strive for? #2 Background,Hurricane Katrina,flood damage in New Orleans with oratory about the Republican response, Barbara Bush's heartless and cold remarks about how good Katrina was for "those" people and how well it worked out for them. Then the good, family values preacher, , who called on all his loyal Republicans to PRAY FOR RAIN OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS, to occur as Barack Obama made his speech last night. Then pointing out that the weather in Denver was wonderful. But just as the Republican Convention is getting under way, ANOTHER HURRICANE is threatening our Gulf Coast. Our Gulf Coast is going to be ravaged while the Republicans PARTY, AGAIN.

[kappock750]

having been a part of the entertainment industry for over 25 years and always look at situations such as this - in terms of an AD or selling point - I have to commend "weslenforever" in coming up with this visual and emotional dagger. This is exactly the type of ad we should be creating .... great work .... !!!!

[HawkOnTheLeft]

Huff Post should have an ongoing contest for best ad. People would submit either ad ideas or you-tube quality adds. Huff Post would select the best, produce them if need be, and give them visibility.

This would be extremely valuable for counter-ad responses to McCain sleaze. Users would have only six hours before Huff Post would launch the response in McCain's face.

[AlindaFaye2000]

I think you're absolutely right. Well, on praying for rain on the night of Barack Obama's speech, just goes to show that you shouldn't wish bad for anyone because it might happen to you. Also, how in the world could they have their convention on the same day as Jerry Lewis telethon.

[BluzySuzy]

I was so caught up in the events of the whole week. I have never been so excited (realistically hopeful) about any candidate before. I voted for Hillary in the primaries, but I am all on board with Obama now! And not begrudgingly, either. Experiencing the speech last night was the closest I have come to a truely inspirational experience in a very long time. My daughter is just starting college. She called last night after the speech and we talked for a long time. I told her that I really envy her because when I was her age I ached for an inspirational leader like Barak Obama. We have all waited too long for this.

[wendy82551]

My 20-something son said he was actually getting goose bumps from Obama's speech. I said, "Well, now you understand how Kennedy made ME feel when I was a kid." I feel like we can finally dare to hope for something better for our country, that we can be inspired to do great, humane things again.

[WillfromSF]

The American people's idea of a President is Jed Clampett of the Beverly Hillbillies - looks and acts like a redneck, but is rich from oil. We're more for picking someone you'd like to have a beer with than someone who is the best to lead the most powerful organization in the world. Franklin Roosevelt or John Kennedy would never have been electable in 2008. Too smart, too dignified, too sophisitcated - you can't trust those people. It's frightening to me, that it's become this way. I think Obama's best chance is to change the way people think about their President. We don't need an ordinary man in 2008 - we need someone extraordinary, but will the American public every buy into that again?

[WillfromSF]

I give Obama a B for last night. Good speech, well-delivered, but not unique enough, not something that is going to change minds or move a lot of the Undecideds. Coming after (I'm sorry to say) better speeches by Hillary, Bill, and Joe, it was a bit of a let-down. I just didn't feel the connection I initially did with this man last December. I think he's burned out by the insanity of the election process. I hope he re-finds the fire in his belly, because he's going to need it if we're going to win this thing.

[brownswan]

I respectfully disagree on every point. I think his speech rose from a subdued opening to a sustained crescendo on the issues that matter, including John McCain's dubious qualifications as one who understands the problems we face.

[heal57]

I'm with you; A+ all the way. Obama's speech was riveting. It was a great night. I don't usually watch conventions much since I'm an Independent. This one was great.


Independent for Obama/Biden '08

[afed27]

Obama's speech last night was as exhilarating as all his previous speeches. Which ones has he delivered on?

[realistic2008]

He needs to be elected firs. Bush promised US a new era and we most certainly got one, one like never seen in the history of the United States with few exceptions of course, the ones that have pocketed almost 7 trillion dollars as promised by Bush.

[tea in the harbor]

How could he "deliver" on his plans as President before he is elected?