Obama Hopes for Rocky Mountain High

Obama’s aides said they had learned from what they described as the mistake of the 2004 Democratic convention — when aides to Senator John Kerry’s campaign sought to forbid convention speakers from going after President Bush — and would use these four days to draw sharp contrasts with John McCain, particularly on the economy and McCain’s opposition to abortion rights.

“The stakes of this election will be made very clear,” said David Axelrod, Obama’s chief strategist.

At the same time, acknowledging persistent voter unease with Obama, his aides said they would use speeches and presentations over the next four days, including having Al Gore introduce Obama for his acceptance speech on Thursday night, to offer a fuller biography and a more detailed plan of what he would do as President.

This reflected a summer that they said demonstrated Obama’s vulnerabilities and McCain’s resilience, and the signs of lingering divisions between some supporters of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Obama.

“Back in June and July, I truly thought he was going to blow McCain out of the water and carry 30 or 40 states,” said Donald Fowler, a former national Democratic chairman who supported Hillary in the primary. “What has happened is that Republicans have really twisted his great charisma, this electric personality, to discredit his ability, his experience, his capacity, his judgment. I fear they are about to do to him what they did to Gore.”

Discussing the days ahead, Fowler continued: “Obama has got to do some things that will shore up his ability to lead — not just to charm, but to lead. They’ve got to give credibility to his understanding of foreign policy, his ability to deal with tough people and tough questions, and his ability to be more explicit and convincing on his health care policies and energy policies.”

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