This book details Obama's presidential platform. The platform is organized by Obama's campaign, with a personal foreword by Barack Obama. The book includes seven of Obama's key speeches, which we excerpt below. They are:


Declaration of Candidacy 2/10/07, Springfield IL


Iowa Caucus Night 1/3/08, Des Moines IA


N.H. Primary Night 1/8/08, Nashua NH


A More Perfect Union (address on race) 3/18/08, Philadelphia PA


Father's Day 6/15/08, Chicago IL


Renewing American Competitiveness 6/16/08, Flint MI


A World That Stands As One 7/24/08, Berlin, Germany


We'll use this opportunity to analyze the McCain-Obama race. McCain comes into the election with three strikes against him:


A bad economy favors Obama because McCain has little economic background, and economic issues traditionally favor the Democrat. With the ongoing financial crisis, the economy will certainly be high on voters' agendas on Election Day. McCain took a shot at raising his profile on this issue, by 'suspending' his campaign for an economic vote, but that tactic did not play too well.


Bad news from Iraq favors Obama because McCain has invested so much in the success of the surge. Obama gains by focusing on his 'judgment' early against the war, if Iraq is discussed at all. If there's GOOD news from Iraq, that DOES help McCain, but BAD news typically gets more headlines. And the ongoing expense of the Iraq war, at $10 billion per month, clearly ties the Republicans' and McCain's Iraq stance to our economic woes.


McCain is hurt further on both of these issues by being tied to Pres. Bush. McCain has made strides in distancing himself from Bush, but he worked WITH Bush on the economic crisis, and AGREES with Bush on the surge. Distancing himself on other issues is challenging, since those two issues so dominate the news.


With three strikes against him -- and BIG strikes -- McCain has his work cut out for him. McCain's slide in the polls reflects that challenge. All Obama has to do is carry on looking presidential, without any serious gaffes, and the election is his.