A digest of the top blogger thoughts and ideas - The A listers

So Barack Obama has initiated the process of throwing his hat in the ring.  We all knew it would happen, just like we know he'll probably end up being someone's running mate in the finals.

Blog Business Summit liked Obama's YouTube strategy (actually he's on Brightcove) but Buzz Machine suggests he "get a Teleprompter so you’re not always looking to your left."

The Captain gives him mixed reviews:

Obama has little choice but to latch onto the "change the tone" banner for this election. What else could he campaign on? He has served two years of his first term in the Senate, which is also his first two years in Congress at all. He hasn't served in any other national capacity. In fact, he has done little in foreign affairs at all except to demand a precipitous withdrawal from Iraq, and considering that foreign policy is one of the areas under the full purview of the White House, that lack of experience seems much less an asset than a liability.

Robert Scoble makes a good point about "invisible" racism: "But I’m throwing a little test into the conversation. I then follow up a comment like that with this: “I think he isn’t going to get elected because of the color of his skin.” What follows my statement is what really pisses me off: I haven’t had many people disagree with me. Admittedly small sample size, but now more than 100 people."

This unconscious, automatic assumption is going to be what hurts Obama's campaign the most, even more than his lack of political experience.  If I assume that a majority of American wouldn't vote for him because of his race, will I not vote for him as well because I want my vote to count?   

I actually don't see him as presidential material yet.  He needs a little more experience.  That experience could come as vice president, if a candidate doesn't mind being upstaged by a charismatic running mate.