Facing up to the Hillary question
While he would like to shift his attention fully to the onslaught already coming from Senator John McCain and the Republicans, Mr Obama still has problems in his own party that may overshadow everything else until he addresses them: How to repair relations with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and her supporters and whether to offer her a spot on the ticket.
Dick Morris on Real Clear Politics
Putting Hillary Clinton on the ticket for vice president creates a ménage-à-trois. Bill will be the unexpected roommate
Healing the party wounds
On paper, everything points to a big Democratic rebound in 2008 ... The nation is reeling from a sluggish economy and mired in a deeply unpopular war, two factors that usually have turned voters away from the incumbent White House party. In addition, the presumptive Republican nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain, who'll turn 72 in August, is the oldest major party candidate ever to seek a first White House term.
Still, Democrats enter the general election less than confident that their party can heal the wounds of the long and divisive primary battle.
Tackling the experience question:
Jonah Goldeberg in the Los Angeles Times
It looks like the presidential battle between John McCain and Barack Obama will be about one overarching theme: judgment versus experience. And Exhibit A will be the Iraq war.
Painting McCain as Bush Mk II (or III):
McCain, quoted on Politico.com
You will hear from my opponent's campaign in every speech, every interview, every press release, that I'm running for President Bush's third term. You will hear every policy of the president described as the Bush-McCain policy. Why does Sen Obama believe it's so important to repeat that idea over and over again? Because he knows it's very difficult to get Americans to believe something they know is false.
Winning the Hispanic vote:
The Democratic presidential nominee this year was supposed to be a sure thing with Hispanics ....While [Obama] may still do well, he faces two challenges. He will be running against John McCain, the one Republican candidate with pro-immigration policies and proven appeal to Hispanics; the Illinois senator also will have to overcome Latino voters' lack of familiarity with his record, and the reluctance of some to support a black politician.
