None of that matters, because with hope and change, Barak will deliver us from evil, amen.

Amen indeed. Evil, in double deed.

Surely this move to the 'center' says nothing about his sincerity. He HONESTLY changed his opinion. Nothing to do with politics whatsoever. Messiah don't lie.....dishonesty is reserved for the Bush Administration.

Obama has already assembled teams of experts on the economy, energy, and foreign policy. This process may moderate his policies, but at least he is consulting with experts. A vast improvement over secret meetings with cronies. That he is doing it in advance of the general election reinforces my sense of confidence in his judgment.

I was pleased to see that Obama reversed his early promise to accept public campaign financing if the Republican candidate does.

It's amazing how disposable his relationship with "clean money" advocates turned out to be once he saw the possibility of raising huge $$ from private contributors.

I'm not disappointed in him, it shows that he might have more sense than he's let on so far. Maybe he won't be a total disaster as President.

I'm looking forward to the day he finally owns up to the fact that we can't provide universal health coverage without continuing the pattern of reckless deficit spending for which he condemns (and rightly so) our current administration.

I am a former Democrat who vividly remembers the trainwreck of the Carter Presidency.
Double digit inflation, double digit unemployment, double digit mortgage rates, gasoline prices that if adjusted for inflation would be close to todays price plus having to wait on a line around the block to get it, then combine all that with a disastrous foreign policy that we are seeing the results of today.
Until now everything about Obama told me we were headed that way again if he was elected.
This move by Obama to the center now gives me some trust in his judgement and hope that we will not have to relive that.

Fear of a Carter repeat performance seems to be the Anti-Obama mantra of late. The experts with whom he consults are doubtless mindful of mistakes of past administrations and, more importantly, how to avoid repeating them. The process is one of open dialogue, with known individuals and communication of the results. How refreshing. No hidden agendas, secret meetings with special interests, ulterior motives and propaganda to manage public opinion. There will undoubtedly be mistakes in dealing with the complexities of problems we face, but they will now be recognized and resolved instead of ignored in favor of staying a course leading us to disaster. With the Obama method of problem solving, lemmings need no longer apply.

Dear Genop -

Hahahahahahaha - and if you really believe what you wrote, then hahahahahaha, again.

I have no idea how old you are, but Obama's 'ideas' are completely born from lack of experience. Like James, I too lived through the Carter years. If you think $4.50 a gallon gas is bad, couple that with only being able to go to the gas station on an even or odd day of the month depending on your license plate number. Couple THAT with gas stations with such limited supply that people parked the car in a line at the gas station, when home for the evening and got up early in the morning to go down to your car and sit in it waiting for the station to open. Energy for home heating went sky high. Unemployment climbed, how would YOU like to buy a house at a reasonable 12% mortgage rate (thank God they hadn't invented adjustable rates back then). All that and more where what took place when Jimmy was in office and I believe it will be even worse if Obama gets elected.

I remember my first home mortgage, obtained around the time of the radical Reagan tax cuts. The rate was 15½ percent. I believe it got up to 16½ percent before it started to come down.

If you're going to blame that on Carter, then I guess President Obama (sounds so good) must get a free pass for a year or so.

I remember the gas lines, but lived near a refinery. I only felt the squeeze when driving through Oregon. I also remember when the Clinton economy was hitting on most cylinders. Guess who Obama's advisers are? Hint---not Carter's. (Robert Reich and Robert Rubin former Clinton advisors)

Jack, I'm sure you understand the tax cuts of the Reagan administration had nothing to do with state of the economy he inherited from the Nixon/Ford/Carter era. It was the Reagan tax cuts that got the economy going again.

It is going to be a worrisome sort of entertainment these coming months, watching Obama trying now to sell himself as an incoherent and belligerent rodeo clown. He's good, but is he that good?