This is a blanket response to all of those diaries that begin with "Obama will lose unless..." or "Obama has to stop doing what he's doing and start...".
It's a blanket response to every armchair, Monday Morning Quarterback who feels their vast political experience of writing on blogs gives them some insight that escapes the notice of a successful national politician.
And it's a blanket response to everyone who is in full on Hand Wringing Mode, worried that unless their wisdom is heeded, we'll have 8 years of McBush to continue fucking up the country:
You do not know what Obama needs to do.
All your blog experience doesn't give you insight.
Volunteering for a local alderman race doesn't give you national election experience which you can then turn into sage advice for Obama.
Grasping at polls then rejecting polls that don't fit your narrative just makes you look like a petty and unstable ass.
OK, so let me break this down for you. Here is the man you are trying to give advice to:
He's a Harvard educated lawyer.
He's been a community organizer, a successful state Senator and constitutional law professor.
He has reformed ethics in the Illinois Senate and in the U.S. Senate.
He has been on the correct side of nearly every debate, long before most of his peers find their senses.
He entered the race for Democratic Nominee as a widely-held long shot, and then went on to defeat the Clinton machine.
He is running a 50-state strategy which has put numerous states in play, affecting down-ticket races all over the country.
He has rejected the usual "politics of smearing" attitude towards campaigning, which has not only put him ahead of McCain in pretty much every measurable demographic but has also begun to elevate the level of discourse in the country.
And, if I may be blunt, he's black.
And his middle name is Hussein.
And, right now, he is in the lead for President of the United States.
Now, after reading ALL OF THAT, how in the blue-fucking-hell can any of you SERIOUSLY think that you know precisely what Obama needs to do to win?
Unreal.
UPDATE: Just to be clear, I'd like to quote myself from a response a gave to thereisnospoon below:
I'm not saying that we should shut up and say nothing.
That'd be stupid.
But we should also realize that there's a fine line between "making suggestions" and "assuming some sort of guru status", and people need to find the line and be on the right side of it.