Does Barack Really Rock?
The reasons for Obama's popular appeal may well be his political flaw: He's reasonable. He looks for solutions. There is no enemies list. All good. Yet, his penchant for wishy-washy is well documented. He splits hairs, is noncommittal and overly judicial. It's gotten him in hot water with Sen. John McCain, who could face off with Obama in 2008. No one would accuse McCain of equivocating on anything: When Obama backed out of a bipartisan, McCain-led group on lobbying reform-to run the Democratic version-McCain exploded. In writing, which almost never happens in the clubby Senate, the Arizonan blasted Obama for his "disingenuousness" and "self-interested partisan posturing."
Obama was stunned and responded by explaining that since McCain has been in Washington for 20 years, he has a right to be cranky. Clever. "One of those NBA moments," says Axelrod. Maybe. But he's going to have to be more than clever if he wants to live up to all of the hype and expectations. And there are plenty of both.
advertisement
