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Obama: 67 Days, 6 Vital Tasks

Dem strategists come up with Obama to-do list to win tough fight

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 29, 2008 3:29 AM CDT

(Newser) – Democrats leave their convention on an emotional high, having anointed a historic candidate whose journey former president Jimmy Carter called "almost a miracle," USA Today notes. The paper consults top Democrats for a to-do list for a victory in November.

Go all-out to reintroduce himself to voters and quash the 'celebrity' tag.
Boost his foreign policy cred—currently the weakest link in his résumé.

Use the issues to cement the link between John McCain and George W. Bush.
Connect with the ordinary working-class voters who flocked to Clinton—in short, learn to bowl.
Court women voters. He leads by a comfortable margin among women but there is still plenty of wooing of disaffected Clintonistas to be done.
Keep the voters fired up. Obama's candidacy sparked a blaze of enthusiasm among young and African-American voters, but he must work to keep things on the boil.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (3)]

Barack Obamagestures during is acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

Barack Obama addresses the Democratic National Convention yesterday. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama speaks at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver on the final day of the Democratic National Convention. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

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It's not only a bad economy but an unpopular party and an unpopular war. But you go to the battleground states, and there are a whole lot of people who are uncomfortable voting for an African American. - James Thurber, political scientist

This election will be decided on the fundamentals, not how many houses somebody has or who's elitist. - Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa)

He's up against a candidate who has got a very appealing personal history. The challenge will be to focus on the issues, and what an Obama administration will bring to average American families. - Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich)

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Obama: 67 Days, 6 Vital Tasks