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The Republican strategy for the last three elections is simple: portray every one of your opponent's strengths as a weakness. Kerry's a war hero and Bush was a draft dodger? ... why, Kerry didn't *earn* those medals. Obama is popular, and the people of the world are cheering him on, making them realise there's
hope for America and generally, to coin a phrase, welcome him with open arms as a liberator? Why ... he must be a mere celebrity.
Obama's strategy here, as elsewhere, is much better - take the fight to the Republican heartland. He's not going to swing that many evangelicals to vote for him ... but he'll get some, he'll keep some others at home, he'll keep the debate about McCain's faith open. Most importantly ... he'll force McCain to keep spending time and money shoring up his base.
Obama does, regrettably, seem to be a man of faith. But don't let that mask the ambition and calculation that's gone into this move. He's fighting the Republicans over there, in the red states, so that he doesn't have to fight McCain over here.
