LOL we can't even get there on blogs! disagree with  one of the protected purity trolls and OMG the hate and abuse that pours forth is amazing.

This is something I really like about Obama - he can aggressively take on the cheap shots and call them out for what they are without making cheap shots himself.  Effectively, he gets to call McCain a cheap shot artist - which he clearly has become - without himself becoming a cheap shot artist in the process.

I think Obama and has people are very wise students of recent history in their analysis of John Kerry's 2004 Campaign.  They saw the way in which Kerry was tarred and feathered throughout that campaign but always maintained the high road by not responding to the attacks.  They saw that Kerry's approach, while admirable, wasn't particularly effective, and that they needed to devise a message strategy that would enable Obama to respond to the attacks without getting sucked in to the mudslinging himself.

And it's working.  I believe with the truly undecided reasonable centrist block who this strategy is meant to sway, it is working.

We don't need to be convinced to vote for Obama here, and those over at redstate.com don't need to be convinced why not to vote for him.  It's the people in the middle - the folks John Kerry lost by rolling over when he was attacked - that Obama is talking to.

One of the best things he's done so far. He needs more of this, this is how he turns public perception of those not in the "no chance he convinces anyone of anything" crowd. Uh oh, I must be a purity troll because I find Obama has redeeming qualities, please don't lock me up ;)

if this will work. CW is that he should. He just made McCain look petty and childish. He owned him.

The funny thing about this election is everyone I talk to back home, even those PUMAs, all have one thing in common;

They say McCain scares them.

Make McCain look scary, Make Obama look reasonable and calm. It's the key.

The part I liked best was placing this squarely on John McCain's shoulders.  He doesn't pretend like there are intermediaries and misinterpretations.  He  opens the door for McCain to either take responsibility for this or to give some tepid apologetic-like statement.  For example, McCain cannot answer to this the way Bush answered to the Swift Boat ads of 2004 by saying "we should all be nicer to each other."

This is the same Obama I watched and listened to during the Rev. Wright right-wing fusillade.
This is the same Obama I watched and listened to
during the "kitchen sink" part of our Primary.

Obama is doing what leaders do...gives us an example. We do not have to accept the exaggerations and lies without a firm and resolute response.
But unless we remain true to our core values of dignity, we are doomed to failure..( I am still working on that part..))

This is the kind of President I want sitting across from world leaders in these times of crises..

as for the GOP "they know they're lying" "they take pride in being  being ignorant."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akjXqfvLu 28

Kerry never told the truth like this out loud...

Anyone else notice that Obama has gotten grey around the edges? Working 4 times as hard takes its toll.

I forgot the most important thing - my post was in response to the "gray around the edges" post.  I think in 2016 the poor guy is gonna have white hair after the abuse he's gonna have to endure from the Limbaugh acolytes for eight years.

He's basically reinforcing McCain's message (about what a great and patriotic and altruistic American McCain is) and begging him to stop being mean.

I like to our see our candidates deliver punches, not cower in the face of Republican attacks.  I suspect that a majority of Americans would like to see that, too.