Democratic strategists often make the mistake of assuming that these white, economically downscale voters will automatically make their ballot choices on the basis of class. In fact, many vote on culture. Obama's academic style is much of his problem. For many, Obama reminds them of the Ivy League whiz kids they've dealt with at work during the latest downsizing. They look at him and see another bloodless young achiever coming down from the top floor to fix the ailing machine-tool company. They listen to his polished pitch in the employee cafeteria, and he wins some converts. But after he is finished, a few old-timers exchange knowing glances and mutter to one another about how young this hotshot is. Somebody makes a cynical and unkind remark about affirmative action. Deep down, they think he'd rather hit the executive gym for a cardio workout during lunch hour than share a cheesesteak and beer with the hourly workforce. And they ask one another, Why did he change his name in college back to Barack? What's wrong with Barry?

Unless Obama can break down the wall between him and these Barry-cratic voters, it will be very hard for him to seize the game-winning electoral prizes of Michigan and Ohio. The convention message and optics would be a very good place to start.

To that end, many of the old-school party regulars now assigned to loyally wave HOPE and CHANGE signs for the TV cameras in Denver would dearly love to see Obama switch out some of his "together we can" endive salad for a big populist pile of economic red meat. Last week Ohio governor Ted Strickland called for Obama to "speak more clearly and specifically about the kitchen-table, bread-and-butter issues." While Obama has to be careful not to delve too far into Strickland's brand of Stone Age union economics, reconnecting with basic Democratic economic issues is good advice. Obama cannot reclaim the lunch-pail wing of the Democratic Party simply by treating Hillary Clinton like a monarch at the convention. These voters are not hers to deliver; Obama has to earn them back on his own with a convention that reaches out to those hardworking Americans who don't drive a Prius, don't listen to npr, don't buy syrah—and assure them that it is still very much their Democratic Party too.

jerseyhoya wrote:The Phillies are playing.

dajafi wrote:Sounds like Pawlenty is a very nearly done deal.

jerseyhoya wrote:

dajafi wrote:Sounds like Pawlenty is a very nearly done deal.

What are you hearing?

I talked to my uncle today, and he was cautiously optimistic that it would be Pawlenty. I'd just be so pumped if he picked him.

Houshphandzadeh wrote:Gore is a doofus

Way to namecheck your own movie.

dajafi wrote:

jerseyhoya wrote:

dajafi wrote:Sounds like Pawlenty is a very nearly done deal.

What are you hearing?

I talked to my uncle today, and he was cautiously optimistic that it would be Pawlenty. I'd just be so pumped if he picked him.

Nothing insider-y, but InTrade has him hugely up and Marc Ambinder seems to think he now has Secret Service protection and has cleared his schedule. Ambinder's blog is pretty good, if that's not a regular stop for you.