Heavy Objects

What will Barack be doing tonight in his speech? Let's figure that he'll aggressively assert that he can handle being Commander in Chief, and he'll probably offer some specifics about what Hope and Change are all about.

According to a focus group conducted by pollster Frank Luntz, Obama’s problem is partially that the remaining undecided voters are getting a little tired of talk of the constant invoking of the watchwords “hope” and “change.”

I know that I'm getting sick of Barack being the blank slate who avoids specifics at all costs.

If Obama reverts to the lofty and ethereal language about his election being the moment that the sea levels receded and the sick were healed — the kind of talk Hillary mocked as celestial choirs singing — then these undecided voters may throw heavy objects at their television.

I have too much affection for my TV for that.

One of Luntz’s focus group members lamented the lack of substance behind the “charismatic talk,” and found much agreement from the rest of the group. Another said he was tired of “oratory” and another said “it’s not about change.”

There you go.

Luntz was blunter in assessing Obama’s flaws, urging both candidates to “cut through the crap” and describing a scenario where Obama comes across as “the beautiful politician who has the words but not the solutions,” and voters turn away.