Alan Greenblatt is a GOVERNING correspondent.
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Same Old Democrats
Jim Scarantino, a columnist who co-chaired John McCain's 2000 campaign in New Mexico, has an interesting post up about why Barack Obama isn't running away with a race when all conditions appear favorable.
Looking at the internal Democratic politics that circumscribed Obama's choices for running mate, Scarantino says that Obama has inherited all the baggage that comes along with Dem Party politics, hampering his ability to run as an outsider or fresh voice.
By contrast,
McCain hasn't been hampered nearly as much by internal Republican politics. He was not the party establishment's first pick. But he was the only GOP candidate who stood a chance of winning this year. He has used his freedom of movement to maximum advantage, both in softening the platform to avoid extreme, vote-losing statements of principle and in going completely outside the party establishment to pick Palin.
The GOP also gives McCain another advantage: It will be patient on ideology and policy in order to win. Unfortunately for Obama, much of the Democrat establishment now tangled around his legs prefers to cling bitterly to its familiar, old guns and irrelevant liberal religion even if it means losing another presidential election.
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