During Friday’s debate, Senator Obama spent a great deal of time talking about his vision for America and the change that he will bring to Washington, DC. Senator McCain spent an equal amount of time criticizing and belittling Obama’s vision for America and the change that Obama will bring to Washington, DC. This morning, on “Meet the Press,” David Axelrod, Chief Strategist for the Obama Campaign, spent a great deal of time talking about Obama’s vision for America and the change that Obama will bring to Washington, DC. Likewise, Steve Schmidt, Chief Strategist for the McCain Campaign, spent an equal amount of time criticizing Obama’s vision for America and the change that Obama will bring to Washington, DC. McCain and Schmidt touched on McCain’s proposed policies, but spent the bulk of their respective response times pointing at Obama. What is more, while attacking Obama, both deliberately mischaracterized Obama’s policy positions in a blatant attempt to stir up fears and doubts among a citizenry that, thanks to the past eight years of failed Bush policies, is prone toward fear and doubt.

What’s going on here? Why doesn’t McCain want to talk about McCain? Why doesn’t Schmidt want to talk about McCain? Why are they fixated on Obama and adamant about misleading the American public about Obama?

If you’ve ever watched “The Wizard of Oz,” then you’ve seen this tactic before. The McCain Campaign doesn’t want us to focus on McCain because his policies are Bush policies. McCain’s strategy is to deflect attention away from McCain by disparaging and distorting Obama’s policy positions.

But take a peek behind the curtain, and you’ll see who lurks there. It’s McBush.

Eight years of Bush is enough. Vote for change. Vote for Obama.

Like many Obama supporters I was a nervous wreck before last night’s debate. I wanted Obama to be focused, crisp and also tough on Mccain. Throughout the debate I worried about how the undecided voters would view McCain’s angry, bullying, and often disrespectful treatment. My initial reaction was that many independent voters (especially women) would not take kindly to McCain’s condescending and belittling tone. He sounded like a grumpy, old man yelling “You kids better get off my lawn!” I also saw the brilliant overarching strategy of the Obama approach as the debate went on. He developed several themes in his answers throughout the debate: he wanted to connect with middle class voters, he emphasized his view that war on terror must be won in Afghanistan and Pakistan (not Iraq), and he talked about restoring America’s standing in the world. Despite my biased but positive review of Obama’s performance I have to admit I was surprised to see the polls and focus groups all declare Obama the victor. In the CNN focus group the real time reactions of Republicans and independents showed that they related positively to a lot of what Obama said, and many polls show Obama making a substantial gain in whether people believe he is ready to be president. I think the explanation is that for many non-Democrats last night was the first time they saw Obama outside of a sound bite and the punditry spin. What they saw was a well informed, very prepared, and serious policy maker; the kind of person who will make a deliberative and formidable president. What did you think of the debate?

I had dinner last night with a friend suffering from anticipatory depression stemming from his anxiety about the upcoming election. He is an ardent Obama supporter and worries (incessantly, it seems) about the Palin effect – so much so, that he is having nightmares.

I don’t think that my friend is alone in his fears or feelings. I’ve been hearing similar concerns from other Obamamites. Seems like I recall the same rumblings and grumblings four years ago when Kerry was in the running. And, again, when Gore was up to bat. Clinton pushed through the dark clouds twice, but Dukakis got Red Rovered by them.

Sound familiar? It should. Every four years, Democrats are staggered by a sentiment aptly depicted by Edvard Munch in his series of paintings titled “The Scream.”

Democrats, what’s up with all the despair? Must we create obstacles to our own success?

Senator Obama has already accomplished the impossible. He is the first African American Democratic Nominee for President of the United States. Soon, he will be the first African American President of the United States.

So, shake off the gloom, folks. The Campaign for Change needs your help. Register to vote. Get your friends and family to register to vote. Then go and vote for Senator Obama.

And, for heaven’s sake, get yourselves some hope. There’s plenty to go around.

Today I heard the wonderful Georgetown law prof Sheryll Cashin talk about her new book “The Agitator’s Daughter.”  She is from a long line of political activists and public intellectuals.  She told us that one of her father’s favorite quotes is from Frederick Douglass, “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never has and it never will.”  For those of you concerned about this election, make Douglass’s quote your mantra.  The Republicans have had power for 8 years and they will do anything to maintain it.  This election is not about sitting back and watching Obama win or lose.  If we want things to change we must commit and work towards that change everyday.  Power concedes nothing without a demand. 

I’d like to extend a belated thanks to the folks who participated in the Local Platform Meeting in Simpsonville, South Carolina on July 19.  I had the pleasure of moderating this exciting gathering, which was one of many local meetings held across the nation over the course of approximately a week.   Every four years, the Democratic Party adopts a National Platform, which is an official statement of the Party’s position on the most crucial issues of the day.  Traditionally, the platform is drafted based on testimony given by various interest groups, but, this year, the DNC started its platform process locally.  Upon completion, the local platforms were submitted to the DNC Platform Party, which then selected the planks to be included in the 2008 Democratic Party Platform.  At our meeting in Simpsonville, we discussed at length a number of pressing issues that we, as citizens, would like to see our government address, including concerns regarding healthcare, the environment, public service, bipartisanship, Iraq and foreign policy, poverty, and education.  Our finished product was the result of much time and effort.  I am grateful to the members of the 2008 Simpsonville Platform Party.  They represented the Upstate and South Carolina and ensured that the concerns of our state were heard by the National Platform Committee.  Thank you, Simpsonville!

Last night, I was talking with a friend about the upcoming election when my friend declared that he is a one-issue voter.  Understandably curious, I sought to learn more, and he revealed that he would not vote for someone who is not against torture.  He then noted that he was struck by Governor Palin’s comments disparaging Senator Obama’s pro-human rights and anti-torture stance toward prisoners of war and other detainees.  My friend simply couldn’t imagine why anyone would condone torture and was astonished by the warm reception that Palin’s remarks received on this issue. 

I was not surprised by the cheers that accompanied Palin’s remarks.  The Republican Party base is not comprised of individuals who would expect to suffer any loss of liberty under our current coercive interrogation practices and rendition measures.  These are not folks accustomed to scrutiny by law enforcement officials due to the color of their skin, the religions that they practice, or the languages that they speak.  They cannot relate to the images or stories of the individuals who suffer or have suffered under our current practices.  After all, it’s easier to champion the rollback of rights when the immediate personal costs are negligible or non-existent. 

The Republicans (as usual) are trying to sell the American people a bill of goods. Over the last week they have made the laughable case that Sarah Palin has more experience than Obama. They continue to try to belittle Obama as simply a good speech maker with no substance. All Obama supporters should memorize these numbers: 820-427-152. 820 is the number of bills Obama sponsored during his eight years in the Illinois state legislature. 427 is the number of bills Obama has co-sponsored in his last 4 years in the U.S. Senate. 152 is the number of bills Obama has authored in the U.S. Senate. Barack Obama is a constitutional law expert, the sponsor of the ethics reform legislation, a co-sponsor of equal pay legislation for women, and a presidential candidate with real proposals for th serious problems our country faces. We will not let McCain and Palin belittle our candidate.

I was surprised at how emotional I was hearing Sarah Palin’s speech. The media was calling this an “important” and “historic” night. Even though I don’t share any of Palin’s political views, I was looking forward to her real national debut. Palin delivered a speech that displayed no positive vision of America, but instead she mocked, condescended and belittled Senator Obama. Hearing Palin make fun of Obama and his wife Michelle was supposed to be part of Palin’s role as the vice presidential “attack dog,” but instead I just heard an aggressive form of divisive politics. Palin’s vision of America: small town v. urban, people who love their country v. people who only want to win elections, those who want to protect America v. those who “read terrorists” their rights. If there was ever any doubt, the doubt is gone. Sarah Palin is no Hillary Clinton. With Hillary Clinton I always felt a sense of pride in her strong policy views and had confidence that she was in the presidential race to push for universal health care and other substantive issues. I saw Palin tonight as the embodiment of the worst of identity politics. Palin said nothing about the women that came before her, offered no policies that would advance the cause of women, but instead offered more of the same ugly and destructive politics. Last week I watched with tears as Senator Clinton helped move Senator Obama’s name into nomination.  The convention celebrated the progress of America and the joy of our modern multi-racial democracy.  One week later, as Palin spoke, I felt myself near tears. They were tears of anger, sadness and disgust. One “historic” candidate has been sent on a mission to help destroy the candidacy of another.

McCain’s campaign adviser said yesterday that this election is about personalities and not about issues. This is a very convenient view especially in a year where Republicans have to make the case that this country should continue 4 more years of the failed Bush policies. This statement also gives us a window into the true Republican strategy in this election. The only way they can win is to distract the American people into talking about issues other than the economy, the war in Iraq, education, and universal health care. Sarah Palin is not a central issue in this election! I’ve started to think that nominating Palin was just as much about distracting the Democrats as it is about firing up the right wing based of the Republicans. Ever since the announcement of Palin’s nomination, Democratic activists and bloggers have been obsessed with her. The Democrats hit on the right message last week and now we have to ride that message to the White House. Do Americans want more of the same failed Republican policies? No. That message should be the focus and not Sarah Palin.

My first impression of John McCain’s pick of Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate is that this is a very cynical pick. At the heart of McCain’s reasoning is that Palin is a woman and therefore disaffected Hillary voters will vote for their ticket. That assumes that the only reason Hillary voters supported her was because she is a woman. Hillary supporters were in her corner because of the issues. Hillary is a strong leader with a serious polcy agenda including universal health care and ending the war in Iraq. One woman is not an automatic substitute for another woman. In fact my first thought was of Clarence Thomas. The Republican thought that it was appropriate to appoint Thomas to fill the seat of Thurgood Marshall. Both black, but you couldn’t find more contrast in terms of values and judicial philosophy. A pro-life two year governor with no national security experience is not a substitute for Hillary Clinton.