Unity is now key for Democrats: Obama has challenges yet to overcome

[DeepModem Mom]

LAT: Unity is now key for Democrats
Obama is scarred from the primary battle, but it may have left him more prepared for the clashes to come against McCain.
By Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
June 4, 2008

WASHINGTON -- Barack Obama's narrow victory in the nation's longest-ever presidential primary campaign has given Democrats a nominee scarred from battle, a campaign sapped of much of its momentum and an electorate deeply divided by demographics.

Even while celebrating his improbable achievement Tuesday night, Obama faced stinging reminders of challenges he has yet to overcome. He lost the primary election in South Dakota, as senior citizens and working-class white voters defiantly stuck with a fading Hillary Rodham Clinton, exit polls showed. Both voter groups are considered crucial to victory in November.

After controversies over his former pastor and other issues, Obama has lost ground among the independent voters who are important in any presidential election. In February, 63% of independents said they had a favorable impression of the Illinois senator; last month, that number was down to 49%, the Pew Research Center said. Still, as Obama emerges as his party's standard-bearer, he enters the general election campaign standing roughly equal with his Republican opponent, John McCain. That is not a bad place to start, Democratic strategists assert....

The crises and controversies that Obama navigated during the long primary season could prove to have been good preparation for the clashes to come. His campaign sputtered in the final run of primaries, winning only four of the last 10 contests, but it is still raising more money than any previous presidential effort. The Democratic electorate is divided, but that's not unusual by historical standards -- and nothing a strong endorsement from Clinton won't fix.

What Obama needs to do now, (Tad) Devine and other strategists said, is to unify Democrats by reaching out to Clinton and her supporters. He must define the election as a choice between continuing the policies of an unpopular president, George W. Bush, or changing course. Perhaps most important, he must act quickly to neutralize his own potential weaknesses in the eyes of the electorate -- his youth and relative inexperience, especially on national security....

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-assess4-2008jun04,0,3525341.story

[pinto]

1. McManus makes some good points. Yet pundits across the board

seem to overlook, or fail to address, that the broad majority of Democrats may well unite behind our candidate. Including former Edwards, Richardson, Biden, Dodd, Clinton supporters, et al.

I file some of this punditry under "keep a conflict alive". The obvious, and probable, just isn't news in many cases.

[Beregond2]

2. I find all this "He's scarred," "He must win over the Hillary voters,"

"the Dems need Unity" coverage to be complete crap. Am I the only one who has noticed that he is already winning in the Electoral College, while barely even starting to campaign against McCain? After months of Hillary doing everything possible to kneecap him? After the media attacking him with every bogus piece of crap they could dream up?

Obama is in the catbird seat. All he "needs" is to be himself for the next five months, and ignore all these assholes.