So as the quote goes, I'm Ezra Klein and I didn't approve that message. But I did go back and reread the October 2006 article where they found the quote. In it, I argued that progressives should view Obama skeptically. His immense charisma and tremendous political talents had elevated him to a position of national leadership despite being a relatively opaque public figure. What were his core beliefs? Could he take, and throw, a punch? "Grace and strength under fire should be proven qualities before Democrats even consider a potential candidate," I wrote.And Obama has proven both. What's interesting about the article, though, is what it suggests about the McCain campaign. The principle problem for Obama at that time, and in the actual election, was a lack of notable achievements in national office. That's not to say he hadn't passed bills and done good, but he had nothing on the scale of, say, Joe Biden's Violence Against Women Act. Imagine, then, what would have happened if Barack Obama had ended up running against the senator who brought the first cap-and-trade bill before the Congress, passed one of the most important campaign finance reform bills in history, voted against Bush's tax cuts, championed the Patient's Bill of Rights, fought for comprehensive immigration reform, and was the Senate's most effective opponent of torture. Catastrophe, right? A LEADER WHO DECIDED TO STOP LEADING.
So as the quote goes, I'm Ezra Klein and I didn't approve that message. But I did go back and reread the October 2006 article where they found the quote. In it, I argued that progressives should view Obama skeptically. His immense charisma and tremendous political talents had elevated him to a position of national leadership despite being a relatively opaque public figure. What were his core beliefs? Could he take, and throw, a punch? "Grace and strength under fire should be proven qualities before Democrats even consider a potential candidate," I wrote.And Obama has proven both. What's interesting about the article, though, is what it suggests about the McCain campaign. The principle problem for Obama at that time, and in the actual election, was a lack of notable achievements in national office. That's not to say he hadn't passed bills and done good, but he had nothing on the scale of, say, Joe Biden's Violence Against Women Act. Imagine, then, what would have happened if Barack Obama had ended up running against the senator who brought the first cap-and-trade bill before the Congress, passed one of the most important campaign finance reform bills in history, voted against Bush's tax cuts, championed the Patient's Bill of Rights, fought for comprehensive immigration reform, and was the Senate's most effective opponent of torture. Catastrophe, right? 
