Loose Change

One ticket talks about change, the other has a proven ability to deliver it. Once again, McCain/Palin proves itself to be the true change ticket, as it forces change on Barack Obama.

As of this weekend, Barack no longer represents "Change We Can Believe In."

Barack Obama has suddenly changed his campaign slogan and signage replacing the 19 month Obama campaign event staple with a new one: "Change We Need."

The addition of Sarah Palin has created turmoil in the presidential race, and forced a revamping of the Obama approach.

Former Howard Dean guru Joe Trippi explains that Barack is making the mistake that Hillary made during the primaries - he's running as an insider, forgetting the enormous power of the change message:

What worked for Obama is now working for McCain. The important lesson for the Obama campaign is that the Clinton campaign kept looking at its research, kept stressing experience and did not adjust until it was too late. The McCain campaign has not only adjusted to the Obama message, they have changed the terrain.

The tables have been turned - McCain/Palin represents a change ticket - real mavericks who've practiced and achieved change, not just used it as a brand. Obama's got to find his way back onto the playing field.

Now the Obama campaign and its allies need to understand that in arguing that John McCain represents a third term of George Bush and the GOP agenda it is the Obama campaign that risks sounding partisan in a country that yearns for the post-partisanship of “country first” and “shaking things up in Washington.”

What does Trippi think Obama should do?

Get back to being an outsider. And get there fast. Clinton adjusted too late. McCain may have adjusted in the nick of time. Will Obama’s campaign make the right adjustment now?