I've been thinking all day about the Republican effort to make Obama cripple himself by avoiding what he does best -- give a fantastic speech linking seemingly discrete elements of the American experience -- by linking his talent to "celebrity" the way someone might suggest Duke Ellington simply had rhythm.
But John McCain can't do what he does. Bill Clinton can't even do what he does. So he should do it well. Because whether the barrier is ideology, class, or simply racism, excellence and eloquence will be a better case for the Obama candidacy than any trembling poll-tested fear could ever be.
--A. Serwer
