That's the question of the week. In the "yes he is, and it's a terrible idea" camp is Arianna Huffington. In the "maybe his is and that's smart" corner is Ed Kilgore, who reports that Obama's rhetorical moves in the past weeks have thrilled DLC types.
If you'll allow me to hold Obama's policy positions on the death penalty, gay marriage, and FISA to the side for a moment -- I know, I know, that takes gall -- there's one important way in which Obama's campaign is anything but centrist, and that is in his on-the-ground organizing. I don't want to give away too much from a feature story Ezra and I are reporting for the September issue, but there's no question that Obama is the most Party-focused Democratic presidential nominee in decades; his 50-state strategy, focus on building strong, effective ties to House Democrats, and resource and staff-sharing with key Congressional campaigns mean he's fighting for as large a majority as possible to pass his goals. How progressive those goals will be remains in question.
Politico's Roger Simon says that unlike Howard Dean, Obama isn't running as the head of an ideological movement. That's true, but Obama is certainly running as the head of a political party.
--Dana Goldstein
