I was personally disappointed with the selection of Joe Biden as Barack Obama's running mate.  Not that he is not qualified.  But we have an election to win!  Biden is from a very small state that is part of the Democratic base which must be taken for granted if a national election is to be competitive.  More importantly, Biden's image with the national public is of one who has made two short-lived presidential runs in his own right, in neither of which he ever commanded as much as 5% support.  He is also remembered for verbal gaffes and a plagiarism controversy.  It is true that Biden would be ready to take over as President if the need were to arise, and that he brings foreign policy knowledge and experience to the ticket.  But as a political move, the candidacy falls flat.

I am sorry to say that the public seems to agree.  McCain continues to slowly creep up and has passed Obama in some polls.  Some will say that the polls are meaningless at this point.  I disagree.  By far the closest parallel to 2008 in my lifetime is the election of 1988.  We had a two-term Republican incumbent whose term was ending amid controversy, with much lower approval ratings than in earlier years.  We had a new-look Democratic candidate who held a substantial lead in early polling.  But by late summer, the margin narrowed.  And once George H. W. Bush took over the lead, it was never relinquished.

I was really moved to write this post today after reading the Letters to the Editor in today's Portland Oregonian.  Two readers sensibly expressed their desire for disaffected Democrats to get on board to defeat McCain for the obvious differences of policy and philosophy.  One Hillary supporter responded in advance to those entreaties, stating that she did not trust Obama to end the Iraq war because he had "shifted his position so many times".  The two letters that really disturbed me were those who stated their belief that opposition to Obama among Democrats (to the degree that it exists) is based on the color of the candidate's skin.  I certainly do not believe that 0% of Democrats are uncomfortable to some degree or another with the idea of a black President, biracial or otherwise.  I do believe that making that case is futile and defeatist.

Every politician knows that voters cannot be shamed into supporting a candidate - only a positive message can succeed.  The Obama campaign and the Democratic Party are presenting that positive message - so we have a chance.  Barack Obama is not Michael Dukakis. But I must say that I feel the need to psychologically prepare myself for four years of a McCain presidency - because that is the way the wind is blowing.