Obama's speech: Not a home run, but certainly a hit

One party's national convention down and one to go. Then the American public will finally get to weigh serious presidential campaigning between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama.

Democrats closed out their convention Thursday; Republicans begin theirs Monday.

With the sound of Obama's acceptance speech still fresh in mind, it's a good opportunity to look to it for what he brings to the campaign. His mantra is "change," but we didn't see a whole lot of detail in what he proposes spelled out in his speech. The voting public will expect more in the days leading up to the Nov. 4 general election.

As Washington Post columnist and veteran election watcher David Broder notes elsewhere on this page: "The Denver speech, like many others he has given recently, subordinated any talk of fundamental systemic change to a checklist of traditional Democratic programs."

Clearly the main theme Obama will hammer in the campaign is McCain's connection to President Bush and his eight-year record. He delighted the partisan crowd with this shot:

But the record's clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush 90 percent of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but, really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than 90 percent of the time? I don't know about you, but I am not ready to take a 10 percent chance on change.

Good point. But we'd prefer to see the inevitable Bush-bashing left to the undercard of Democrat vice presidential nominee Joseph Biden and McCain's choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Obama has been very successful in trying to get the nation to remember Camelot and the Kennedys, but he needs to continue to translate his call for "change" into specifics on budget priorities, health care, Social Security and a college education for anyone who wants it.

While those are noble goals, Obama so far has not really addressed the price tags and how to pay them. Until he does, they will remain campaign rhetoric with a Democratic twist.

He wants to "end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan." That's a tall order and one crying out for an exit plan and other details that have been notably lacking from the get-go from the Bush administration.

Dealing with Iraq and Afghanistan, where the Taliban is regrouping, will be the premier challenge of a new administration regardless of party. With that in mind, we take note of a great line from former President Bill Clinton, during his convention speech a day earlier: "People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power."

Obama pulled up way short on immigration reform, affording only passing mention to an issue that is huge in the West and one with which McCain once was a leading proponent for seeking solutions. This issue had best be elevated to top-priority status in the presidential debates ahead. Let's see action plans from both camps.

On balance, Obama's was a good speech. Obama is the American Dream personified, someone from a humble background who overcame all kinds of obstacles in life to stand Thursday as the presidential nominee of a major political party. Whether you agree with his positions and policies or not, that commands our respect.

Obama does have a gift for calling us, as a nation, to a higher purpose. The speech, like his choice of Biden for the second spot on the ticket, wasn't quite a home run, but it was certainly a solid double into the gap.

Now, as the Republican National Convention now unfolds, it will soon be McCain's turn to step into the batter's box.

NEXT SUNDAY: The Republicans.

* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Sarah Jenkins, Bill Lee and Karen Troianello.

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