A dissent

A lot of Democrats and liberal blogs are pressing the Obama campaign to take the gloves off and go after McCain and Palin. And the media buzzes with liberal commentary on Palin's unfitness for high office.

The Republicans would like nothing better than to make this a campaign about personalities, and to keep Palin at center stage for as much of the next eight weeks as possible. The thing they most want to avoid is a contest on the issues. So that is where Obama and Biden need to concentrate.

This doesn't mean avoiding criticism of McCain. On Saturday, I heard Obama pointing out that McCain's message of change doesn't include changes from Bush's tax, economic, energy, etc. policies. That's the way to attack.

We in the media and the blogosphere can go out after Palin's personality, positions and phylo-thin resume. (I am planning a post on those subjects.) Obama and Biden should attack her, or McCain, only when the subject is relevant to issues that will make a real difference in voters' lives.

(Note: McCain's impetuous choice of someone so unqualified is a valid point that should be made.)