THE TRIVIALITY OF THE POLITICAL MODERATE:

Obama's Changes Raise Issue: Can You Believe in Him? (Mort Kondracke, 7/10/08, Real Clear Politics)

It's perfectly reasonable that Obama take steps to make it clear that he really does love and appreciate the country and that he shares middle-class values. So, he's put the pin back on. In TV images as he speaks, he's practically wrapped in American flags. He's re-explained his ancestry and his upbringing.

He has a problem with white working-class voters, and if he takes his position to appeal to them -- or changes positions -- it's probably no big deal.

Obama also endorsed aspects of President Bush's faith-based initiative. White working-class voters do love their guns, their churches and law and order, after all.

It also undoubtedly helps Obama with the crucial independent vote for him to cause dismay among his supporters on the MoveOn.org left -- as he did by dropping his pledge to filibuster the grant of legal immunity to telecommunications companies taking part in Bush's terrorist surveillance program.

I happen to think it was the right decision on the merits -- and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act reform bill needed to be passed promptly, so Obama was bowing to reality.

But much more dubious -- in fact, raising questions of character -- is his abandonment of a solemn promise to run his general election campaign with public funds if his Republican opponent did.

It's okay to lie about God, abortion, the War on Terror and the Bill of Rights to try and cozy up to middle America, but thou shalt not lie to the wonks about campaign financing!

Posted by Orrin Judd at July 10, 2008 7:06 PM