(Page 2 of 2)
"My Democratic friends know all about John's record of independence and accomplishment," he said. "Maybe that's why some of them are spending so much time and so much money trying to convince voters that John McCain is someone else. I'm here, as a Democrat myself, to tell you: Don't be fooled. God only made one John McCain, and he is his own man."
With polls showing that significantly more Americans would vote for a generic Democrat over a generic Republican, the campaign strategies for each party's nominee are now becoming clear.
If last week's convention did anything (the attacks on Bush's policies, the populist economic rhetoric, the Clinton emphasis on party unity), it helped make Obama into a generic Democrat, and his recent bump in the polls reflects that. This week, Republicans will present McCain as a man with a life story so compelling, and a record of bipartisanship so extensive, that he transcends any party label.
Philip Klein is a reporter for The American Spectator.