True enough.
Obama as the nominee scares the hell out of me, because he's taken a page from Reagan's winning book - optimism.
Reagan pulled in a lot of people who wouldn't have supported his policies because he was optimistic. He loved America and saw only the best in her. Obama's using the same rhetoric, and all we can offer in return is the sourpuss pessimist McCain.
I agree that he is giving his audience what they want to hear. But I'm not sure it's "optimism".
If it was, why is there so much rhetoric about "pain" and "healing" and "hopelessness"?
The Obama campaign strikes me more as a messianic version of "Ah feel yore pain" than "optimism".
Aside from that, "optimism" generally doesn't appeal to lefties. They're usually more responsive to "misery".
The difference is that Reagan was optimistic about the individual American. Obama is optimistic about government and “the toiling masses.”
Ironically, Obama sees the WORST in America.
Obama has been claiming America is broken (read racist) and greedy, and imperialistic .... which ironically is what many youngsters (and Democrats) have been brainwashed to believe by public schools, university, MTV, and much of the liberal media.
Obama is the ANTI-REagan, actually.