Barack Obama has managed to turn himself into “the central figure in American politics,” said E.J. Dionne Jr. in The Washington Post, but his “extraordinary achievement” has come at a price. A recent Pew Research Center study found that 48 percent of those surveyed said they had heard “too much” about Obama, while only 26 percent said that about Republican John McCain. Obama’s challenge now is telling voters who he is while “moving the spotlight off himself.”
Too late, said Jed Babbin in Human Events. “Obama fatigue” has set in. Americans are tired of hearing Obama's “moralizing,” and his talk of how Americans “are a people of improbable hope,” whatever that means. Voters now know that Obama is a "prig," and their doubts will linger unless he shows another side in head-to-head debates.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.