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Anxious Dems Urge Obama to Hit Hard

Convention will seek to define candidate and attack McCain

By Jason Farago, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 25, 2008 6:12 AM CDT

(Newser) – The Democratic convention opens tonight, not quite the coronation envisioned only a month ago as twitchy party grandees push Barack Obama to make his case forcefully to a still-skeptical electorate—using the spotlight to draw the strongest possible distinctions between himself and John McCain. "The stakes of this election will be made very clear," chief strategist David Axelrod promised the New York Times.

While the convention will also seek to heal the rift with Hillary Clinton supporters, the campaign also wants to avoid the mistakes of the 2004 convention, at which criticism of President Bush was muted. "I think in the case of McCain, they need to frame him," said John Kerry. "Viscerally, my feeling is they’ve got to come back at him hard. And they’ve got to do more to complete the task of definition."

[Images (5)]

[Quotes (1)]

The Obamas on their campaign plane in Chicago. The Democratic convention begins tonight with a prime-time speech by Michelle Obama. (AP Photo)

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter speaks at the Green Sunday At Red Rocks Democratic National Convention welcoming concert in Morrison, Colo. on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

An unidentified worker moves the Delaware state standard on the floor of the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Denver, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., listens to a speaker at a barbeque at the Rod and Gun Park in Eau Claire, Wis., Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Andy King)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., talks on the plane while on the tarmac at Chippewa Valley Regional Airport in Eau Claire, Wis., Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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“I have a lot of doubts that this convention is going to be as persuasive as it should be because they’ve got this damn thing with Hillary.
I love Hillary. But this is the worst political decision I could imagine.
- Democrat adviser Donald Fowler

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Anxious Dems Urge Obama to Hit Hard