A reader writes:
Enough of this rah rah Obama crap. Yes, he's a captivating speaker. He could potentially unite us, lead us, and revive our international reputation. We get it already. But of all the "pro-O" bloggers (and there are many), I was really hoping that you would be the one to really scrutinize his policy positions. What happens when when he turns to Plouffe on election night and says, like Redford in The Candidate, "What do we do now?" When are you going to stop cheerleading and start asking the tough questions? Get to it, man! The idol-worship is wearing thin!
I find this criticism bewildering. Obama has a host of policy positions, on taxes, healthcare, Iraq, Afghanistan, immigration, climate change, and this blog has mentioned or debated many of them. There seems to be a meme that because someone is inspiring, there has to be no substance. But they are not mutually exclusive categories. In the Democratic race, the only real substantive difference is healthcare mandates, which I've aired a great deal. And compared with McCain, Obama is a wonk.