The current McCain/Palin self-proclaimed slime-o-rama against Obama may turn out to be a huge tactical error. Not because the negative ads will turn off the populace against McCain (they might), not because there’s plenty of ammo for the Obama side to lob back as provoked (there is), but because, just maybe, it will clear up the question of who Barack Obama is.
A steady mantra we’ve heard from undecideds and even some Republican moderates is that they don’t feel like they can vote for Obama because they just don’t know enough about him — who he is, where he’s from, what he’s done. The info’s been out there, but it just hasn’t sunk in. That personal uncertainty has been a bigger factor than disagreement over his policies.
But now the McCain camp is forcing the issue. They want to set their own stamp on that image of who Obama is, sure, but the fact is there will now be a flurry of more information about him, his background, who he’s known, what he’s done. Misinformation will be followed by counter-information. People will be asking, and getting answered, biographical background and fact-checks. And by the time the next four weeks is done, people will know a lot more about Barack Obama — both where he’s been, and how he stands up to personal heat.
And maybe, just maybe, that will turn out to have cleared some of that uncertainty, that mystery about him. And maybe (and wouldn’t it be ironic?) that will convince some folks that they actually can vote for him.