What's the message?

“[E]ven if Democrats succeed in tarnishing Mr. McCain, it won’t solve their fundamental problem, because this election is mostly about Barack Obama. Who is he? What does he really believe? Does he know enough, is he strong enough to lead? ‘McCain’s message is pretty clear and essentially twofold,’ wrote liberal blogger Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo. ‘Obama is, in so many words, a frivolous phony, someone who really doesn’t have any business running for president. McCain is a strong leader who can defend the country. ‘From Obama, honestly, I don’t sense a really clear message,’ Mr. Marshall said. ‘There are attacks on McCain, some of which are quite good. There are positive, uplifting commercials... But it’s hard for me to come up with a clear-cut Obama message in the way that it’s pretty simple for me to do with McCain.’If Mr. Obama wants to stop his slide in the polls, he must recognize he has been chiefly responsible for it. If people think Mr. Obama has a big head and a thin skin, he must act in a way that belies that. He must be more forthcoming about his past. And when he makes a mistake or changes a position, he should acknowledge it. Mr. Obama has to be clear about where he plans to lead the country and explain why he is qualified to do so. Hopenchange won’t cut it anymore. His acceptance speech in Denver will be the most important of his life. What will he say?”

—Jack Kelly