In the Arena

Performance Value

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This, from a reader:

“Obama stumbles” is the title. Since when is HOW someone delivers a policy idea (in your opinion) more important that what the actual policy is? What kind of analysis is that? McCain was wrong in a presidential way, and that’s impressive to you?

Sorry but, in the television age, if you can’t sell a policy clearly, coherently and with confidence–especially a complicated policy–you’re going to lose the argument. The very best politicians manage to blend style and substance, as is usually the case with Obama. (And wasn’t the case with John Kerry, who was–ultimately, after a lot of hand-wringing–right about the war, but seemed uncertain and smarmy: for it before he was against it.)