Voters in many states have only just begun to be acquainted with Barack Obama, and more familiarity may breed more comfort.It's increasingly likely that the Republican presidential nominee will be John McCain, who is also the Republican most likely to win the November election.
Senator McCain has unusual appeal among swing voters, and polls show him running stunningly well in general election matchups -- even in a year that one might expect would be a Democratic romp. So that raises the obvious question: Who would be the stronger Democratic candidate?
When pollsters offer voters hypothetical matchups, Mr. Obama does better than Mrs. Clinton against Mr. McCain. For example, a Cook Political Report poll of registered voters released this week found Mr. McCain beats Mrs. Clinton, 45 percent to 41 percent. But Mr. Obama beats Mr. McCain, 45 percent to 43 percent. The latest Washington Post/ABC News poll found similar results.Moreover, Mr. Obama's charisma has stood up surprisingly well since he first sprang upon the stage in 2004. Some old hands believe that if he casts a spell upon many voters in red states, it's not because of some momentary dazzle, but because he truly possesses an exceptional and enduring political talent for connecting with independent voters.
"I've worked for three presidents and known two or three others," said Michael Blumenthal, who started his public career under President Kennedy and served as Treasury secretary under President Carter. "And Obama is just about the only politician I've ever seen who compares to Jack Kennedy."
NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
