When the McCain camp put out a statement “defending” Barack Obama against charges that he was flip-fliopping on offshore drilling and insisting that Obama really hadn’t changed his mind, I thought those crazy kids at camp McCain were just making trouble. But apparently they were right.

So Obama would allow drilling as part of an energy package even though he is opposed to it? I think that compelling and principled stance is where we are. It seems Obama and his vaunted team have made utter hash of the issue.

So why is it a mystery that Obama isn’t running away with the race? Clarence Page joins a list of other liberal pundits in searching for the reason why that the Obama juggernaut doesn’t look so great. Is it that tricky Karl Rove apprentice Steve Schmidt? Is it racism? But sometimes the answer is right in front of the pundits’ noses. How about this: whenever Obama gets into an in-depth policy debate (e.g. Iraq, energy), he loses and looks like a novice because he defends indefensible positions contrived for a primary race, lies outright, tries to wriggle out of past positions, doesn’t expect to be grilled on facts, and adheres to positions at odds with those held by critical swing voters.

Nah. Can’t be it. Must be all those befuddled “low information” voters.