Obama should embrace the "character" issue

[Armstead]

In a combination of media pandering and missed opportunity by the Obama campaign, this election is now being cast in an unfortunate way.

The impression is that somehow Obama has to divert attention from himself and focus voters on the economy.

The underlying subtext therefore, is that Obama has something to hide or is simply lacking in the "character" department. Worse yet, it makes it sound like Omaba and the Democrats have a flawed candidate who cannot stand up under scrutiny of who he is.

That is, of course, hogwash. Obama has much more to offer as a person in a positive sense. He should have nothing to fear about selling himself, and allowing voters to get to know more about who he is.

He is smart, steady, principled, has been married to the same woman for years with no evidence that he is anything but a devoted husband and father. He worked his way up the old-fashioned American Way.

The Obama campaign ought to stop allowing the Palin/M<cCain campaign to somehow infer that McSame and No-Nothing Sarah have more to offer on a personal level than Obama.

Which, for example, is a worse association -- a very loose and casual connection with a former 60's radical or a CURRENT connection to a crazy Witchhunting pastor?

In other words, do a better job of selling Obama positively on his own merits, and showing the other side for the cheesburgs that they really are.

[ClassWarrior]

1. You mean like this, which David Plouffe sent out via email today?...

"Keating Economics: John McCain and the Making of a Financial Crisis" - http://my.barackobama.com/page/m2/55c1354d/5014e1c7/6d715045/1188b952/2262294103/VEsE/

NGU.

[Armstead]

2. I'm think in a more positive sense

I've seen too many Obama surrogates and media pundits saying to the effect that "Obama has to keep the discussion focused on the economy, and keep the spotlight away from himself as a person."

Instead, in my opinion, their message ought to be: "Obama is a person anyone can admire, and he definetly has the leadership skills to lead us through this crisis."

In other words, take the crap that somehow Obama has to divert attention from himself off the table.