Feb 19, 2008

Going foreign

Barack Obama beat Hillary Clinton tonight in Wisconsin, according to CNN. John McCain also won.

Interestingly, in his speech tonight McCain picked up the experience vs. change mantra that seems to be failing Clinton. The difference is he wants to make the campaign about foreign policy, and it's a good week to do it, with Cuba, Pakistan and Kosovo in the news - all places where U.S. policy matters, but where no Americans are presently dying.

Clinton, meantime, wants to make the campaign about the economy. She may still gain traction with that approach in Ohio, and possibly Texas as well. But the numbers out of Wisconsin suggest Obama is winning on the issue of the economy.

I wonder if Obama can stay with the change message if foreign affairs - foreign affairs that aren't Afghanistan and Iraq - remain in the headlines?

In my own job I'm already seeing economy fatigue - people tired of talking about it, thinking about it, analyzing it. How is this playing out over the broader electorate?

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