If we can get by these three things, I feel we can win

[mvd]

1. Election fraud
2. The RW might keep the war machine going to fool the people, even doing some late surprise
3. The media spin and dirty attack ads

Not so easy, but Obama is a good candidate and Axelrod is no McAuliffe.

[AllieB]

1. I hope Obama has some good lawyers.

I fear election fraud on a much greater scale than '04.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Of those 3, only #1 seems insurmountable at this time.

Obama has been handling everything else they trhow at him very well.

[mvd]

3. I'll feel they'll adjust accordingly..

to the other two.

[blm]

4. I think you mean DEAN is no McAuliffe. Dean has actually worked for 4yrs to strengthen the party's

infrastructure that McAuliffe and prior chairs had left to collapse since 1995.

THAT is the biggest difference. BTW - did you know in 2002 and 2004 Axelrod was advising Dem candidates to NOT challenge Bush on national security and to stick to domestic issues? See....the post 9-11 climate in 2004 is not even remotely similar to the post Katrina, post Iraq Civil War climate of 2008. And Axelrod is a perfect example.

You're right about media spin, but the other big difference is that the left has more media flexing some muscles they didn't have at all in 2004. Plus, the Dems too cowed by Bush and Rove at their most powerful in 2004 are more willing to show up on tv and back up Obama this time around, now that Bush and Rove have been diminished.

[mvd]

5. The economy IS a big issue right now

Because of that I'm afraid they'll try to start more war. I think both Dean and Axelrod will call them on any attempts to cut Obama down on foreign policy.