Obama: Six things he must do before Nov. 4

USA Today: Obama: Six things he must do before Nov. 4
By Kathy Kiely, USA TODAY

....For Obama, who has made freshness, youth and an unconventional approach to politics his calling cards, the fall campaign represents a tricky balancing act: The 47-year-old U.S. senator must appear new but not too inexperienced, charismatic but not too superficial. He must demonstrate that he's tough enough to answer his Republican critics without turning into the type of negative campaigner he wants to avoid. He needs to show he's different from other politicians, without seeming too far out....

***

Here are six things that Democratic lawmakers and delegates in battleground states believe Obama must do to pull it off:

1. Reintroduce himself

Even though a mocking McCain campaign ad describes him as "the biggest celebrity in the world," Obama said in the USA TODAY interview he needs "to tell my story once again." At this convention, there's been less emphasis on the father from Africa and childhood in Indonesia — and more on what ties him to the struggles of average middle-class Americans: his single mother, grandparents from Kansas and his efforts to work his way through college....

2. Get foreign policy chops....

3. Run against McBush....

4. Learn to bowl....

In the fall, Obama needs to connect with the working-class voters who flocked to Clinton. Many voters "haven't been convinced he relates to people like them," said Martin Dunleavy, a Democratic National Committee member from Connecticut, co-founder of a group called Ethnic Democrats...."This election will be decided on the fundamentals, not how many houses somebody has or who's elitist," said Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, referring to Obama's mockery of McCain's multiple residences and McCain's suggestions that Obama is out of touch. That list, he said, includes the economy, health care, jobs, education and getting out of Iraq....

5. Court the women....

6. Keep 'em fired up

Obama strategists are counting on a record turnout of black voters and voters under 30 to tip several key states — especially some in the South that haven't backed a Democratic presidential candidate in years....

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-08-28-six-things-obama_N.htm

...but I'd substitute some casual pickup basketball games over the bowling.

Everybody looks like a DORK in bowling shoes. Barack looks GOOD on a basketball court. :woohoo:

Stay focused!