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Obama might outperform Kerry, especially in big blue noncompetitive states like New York and California with large minority populations. Then again, he might not. He may not perform as well as Kerry did in many states.

Obama is certainly more charismatic than Kerry, but Kerry was far more qualified and experienced. Kerry would have been a stronger candidate than Obama, even if he would have generated less excitement. Hillary would have been an even stronger candidate than either Obama or Kerry.

Agreed. Obama has charismatic appeal, which is why he gets as many votes as he does. What keeps him from getting to a majority at the present time is his lack of real accomplishments or experience at governing. A rejection is not necessarily a bad thing. With his ego never having met with adversity, tempering him with a defeat may make him a better candidate someday. Again, it may not. It all depends on how Obama chooses to respond to the electorate's penultimate verdict, if he does lose the election this week.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

I don’t disagree with your assessment on Kerry vs. Obama on a strictly issues oriented point of view (i.e. experience,) but Kerry in many ways was a severely damaged candidate, especially after the swift boating issue came to light. Lacking charisma he was seen by many in his party as an utterly boring candidate. And, again, you always have strong reluctance during wartime to unseat an incumbent president, who also happened to enjoy stronger popularity amongst the American people than his challenger.

Of course, my biggest fear for this election is not about the candidates themselves but the daunting issues we are facing inherently during this particular cycle as a party. The economy is and has been the albatross that has been hung around our collective necks, which is the big one, but other carryovers from 2006 are also still around.

I would love to find myself in a nailbiter until 3 AM, hearing “Pennsylvania too close to call” and “Colorado too close to call” all night long. We’ll know by tomorrow night.