Drew Friedman This year, voters seem to be going for the cool, smart guy.
[W]ith less than a month until Election Day 2008, the Vulcan is winning.
Mr. Obama now holds statistically significant leads in the national polls, and once out-of-reach states like Indiana and Missouri are floating into his orbit. More significantly, battleground states like Colorado, Ohio, Florida and Michigan are drifting out of the reach of the McCain campaign.
Extraordinarily, Mr. Obama has gotten to his current position, for the most part, by refusing to budge. Stylistically, since the beginning of the primaries, he has consistently delivered his “change” message in a cool, measured and almost emotionally detached manner that stands in stark contrast with his 4-year-old reputation for soaring oratory.
“Normally voters do prefer a candidate who is more emotionally engaged,” said Dan Schnur, a Republican strategist who served as Mr. McCain’s communications director in the 2000 race. “Obama has had the good sense to recognize the larger political tides and stay out of their way.”
