Abe, I wanted to add some thoughts to your earlier post. The potential explanations for Obama’s lack of oomph are numerous. He doesn’t have great expertise so it takes him awhile to get up to speed on big issues. He is naturally cautious. He is excessively “calm” and doesn’t feel like he needs to rush. Take your pick. Perhaps aware of this dig–or because he’s been goaded into attack mode by his base–he has combined this reticence on substance with a rather nasty negative campaign against his opponent. Both his over-the-top ads and his speeches are now filled with every manner of slur on McCain–who, according to Obama, hates immigrants, loves lobbyists, lies about everything, etc.

It is an odd combination for Obama: very little substance ( when was the last time he tried to explain his healthcare plan or education reform?) and lots of aggressive campaigning. You might even conclude that the latter is meant to conceal the former. It is about as far from what was advertised ( Agent of Change, New Politics, the end of personal attacks) as you can get.

But it is a formula that may fit Obama well. He doesn’t excel in detailed policy discussion, he’s been robbed of (or embarrassed to continue) his high-minded messiah-like nonsense, and his general election audience isn’t likely to be receptive to his liberal policy message. So don’t expect anything to change soon. We are going to see, I would expect, much more of the same every day until November 4.