Obama defines the moment

With just over a week ago, Obama moves toward his closing message.

Published October 25, 2008 1:46PM (EDT)

Four years ago, John Kerry didn't have much of a closing theme. Supposedly, it was "JHOS" -- shorthand for Jobs, Health Care, Opportunity and Security. Instead, Kerry spent the last week trying to make hay of a breaking story about loose munitions in Iraq.

Don't expect the Obama campaign to repeat this mistake. Today, in fact, the campaign released a new, 2-minute video entitled "Defining Moment" which signals pretty strongly what their closing message will be:

The video contains all the elements you want in a closing message: General themes (change, reducing powerful interests, bringing the country together), mixed together with specific policy steps the candidate promises to take (tax policy, economic reform) ... all delivered in a straight-to-the-camera appeal to the voters coming from the candidate himself.


By Thomas Schaller

Thomas F. Schaller is professor of political science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the author of "Whistling Past Dixie: How Democrats Can Win Without the South." Follow him @schaller67.

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