We’re starting to see Barack Obama come down from the stratosphere and be defined as a standard liberal Democrat. Jeremiah Wright and the bitter Keystone Staters are the two incidents that have played the biggest role so far. While this is good for Republicans, there are two reasons for them to be cautious in their growing 2008 optimism: 1.) A pretty standard-issue liberal Democrat came within three points, and thousands of votes in Ohio, of beating an incumbent wartime president three years after 9/11 and during a period of economic growth; 2.) When the Democrats finally settle on a nominee, they will work at bringing John McCain down from the stratosphere and defining him as a standard George W. Bush Republican.
