I want to see a new Obama in the debates just like we saw a new Obama in his Denver acceptance speech. You have to hold back when you are debating your own party members. I want to see an aggressive Obama tonight.
Yes, there is always a risk of being labeled as the 'angry black man', but I think with 80% of this country solidly disgusted with the way things are going, righteous anger and aggression will play well. If we go down, I'd rather go down swinging.
Obama was pretty mediocre in the democratic primary debates. But he did have some disadvantages. He was less well known, so the desire not to come off as angry was heightened. Now Obama is known as the cool, calm, collected politician. He is criticized as being too cool, too professorial, even labeled aloof. So I think there will only be positives from coming out with real fire in his belly tonight. The country is ANGRY. The country is UPSET. And it was Bush and the Republicans who have ran us into the ground in foreign policy and the economy.
I want Obama to go for the jugular. Hit McCain hard, and hit Bush hard, relentlessly. Shrug off the 'surge worked' attacks. People still don't like the Iraq war. People still want our troops home. Attack him on having NO PLAN TO LEAVE IRAQ. Force him to say whether he thinks we already won the war in Iraq. Attack him on Afghanistan flip flops. Attack him on Pakistan flip flops. Attack him on sabre-rattling with the Georgia incident. Attack him and Bush in every answer. Forget the dead-enders who still like Bush. The independents that voted the GOP off in 2006 are still angry at Bush. If Obama taps in to that anger and frustration he'll win the debate no matter how hard the pundits try to spin the debate against him.
Just swing and swing and swing. Let's go down fighting if we go down. I won't hold it against Obama if we lose this election if he fights every step of the way. If, after fighting hard and taking it to McCain these next 5 and 1/2 weeks, the majority of this country still wants John McCain and Sarah Palin, it will just be an indicator that we are in a steep decline as a world power.
Let me know whether or not you agree.