The Obamessiah Test

Richard Cohen asks the key question that any thinking Obama supporter (if there are such things) should be asking and answering:

"Just tell me one thing Barack Obama has done that you admire," I asked a prominent Democrat. He paused and then said that he admired Obama's speech to the Democratic convention in 2004. I agreed. It was a hell of a speech, but it was just a speech. ....

The question I posed to that prominent Democrat was just my way of thinking out loud. I know that Barack Obama is a near-perfect political package. I'm still not sure, though, what's in it.

This election will be an up-or-down referendum on Obama. I'm not ever sure McCain will play that big of a role. When November rolls around voters will walk into that booth and won't ask themselves whether they prefer Obama or McCain for president, but will ask themselves if they want to give the keys to the country to Obama (and to a lessor extent to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid). McCain is hoping for the "lessor of two evils" vote.