Friday, July 25, 2008

How's Obama Doin?



As Obama's successful European tour abroad winds down, there are signs at home that he still has a great deal of work waiting for him. It's of course still very early, and much of the media blows this out of proportion -- making as if he is losing when he is 6 points ahead in a poll rather than 12 -- but it's something to take note of and to discuss.

While Obama has strengthened his image abroad, the question is, has he strengthened his image here as well? After a week of McCain bungles, like forgetting Afghanistan and Czechoslovakia ever happened, and then rewriting history on the surge -- and as presidential images of Obama flooded in from Iraq and Germany, McCain has still been been able to gain crucial ground in four key battleground states.

The vicious right-wing attack machine has already moved in, painting Obama as acting "entitled" to the White House, and on the Democratic side he still hasn't secured some of Hillary's staunchest supporters. We're curious to know if a lot of listeners -- and blog readers -- who were Hillary supporters have now gotten behind Obama, and if his overseas trip made a difference. We'll be getting into this last hour of the program.