How Obama Won - Excerpt from the Introduction

Introduction

How Obama Won the White House

A Pew Research Poll Center Poll in May 2008 found that "inspiring," “fresh," "change," and "visionary" were not the words that voters said best described Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama. The word was "inexperienced." Republican presidential rival John McCain made this and the boast that he was the best on national security, the terrorist fight and defense preparedness his attack mantra against Obama.

Obama had to parry the attack by turning the table and proclaiming that his lack of national and especially international experience was a positive. That he'd bring fresh ideas and approaches to statecraft to replace the old, tired, and failed polices of recent times. But that was not enough. He had to choose and choose carefully a vice presidential running mate who was every bit as hard nosed on national security, the war on terrorism and defense preparedness that McCain claimed to be. Then he had to convince voters that he would back up his pledge to bring an honorable and workable end to the Iraq war.

But it was still Bush and the GOP’s domestic fumbles that were potentially his biggest selling point.