Momentum

There has been talk of declining momentum in the Obama campaign while Clinton has built modest momentum of her own. This has created a bit of a conundrum in the Democratic party. Hillary can’t quit in the middle of a momentum shift in her direction even though winning the nomination still seems pretty much out of reach. The really serious concern has to be about why Obama has not closed the deal. Some journalists on the campaign trail with Obama imply that there is a level of fatigue, partly stemming from the more negative nature of both campaigns in recent weeks.

But if Obama is fatigued in what is a relatively friendly race, how will he respond when it really gets ugly. A friendly race? Yes. Neither campaign can ignore softballs that the other tosses out into the ether. Obama could not ignore the “sniper fire” exaggerations by Clinton. And Hillary could not ignore Reverend Wright or the “bitter” comments by Obama. But both have been careful to show respect for the other and to emphasize that Democrats, for once, have an embarrassments of riches.

Assuming that there are no drastic changes or missteps, Obama will face McCain in November. Intentionally or not, Hillary has been mentoring and seasoning him. The two Democrat superstars have been in the equivalent of a sparring gym wearing protective headgear and oversize gloves while they take shots at each other. Of course, when one of them squarely connects, it is going to hurt. But there will be no knock out blows in this gym, just maybe a bruise or two and a “hey, take it easy”.

Obama needs to hang tough until the convention where he will be able to do what he is extremely good at: rally the party around himself with enthusiasm and energy. He cannot afford to project an image of a young candidate who peaked too early. If he can see what remains of the primary season as extended training for the prizefight, he has a great chance of rebuilding the momentum we saw at the beginning of the year. This prizefight should be his to win or lose. If Barack Obama does become the next president, Hillary Clinton should be given some credit for making him earn it. Becoming president of the United States and leader of the free world should not come easy, nor should it allow you to keep many secrets. By the time a president takes office we should know pretty much what we are getting.