Barack Obama is Muhammad Ali

It struck me yesterday that as Democrats have called on Obama to be more aggressive in the face of smears by the McCain campaign, he has to walk a fine line between not being a wimp and remaining above the fray. In the last few days, he seems to have risen to the occasion - and I think he's taking a page from the playbook of the Greatest Of All Time, Muhammad Ali. Ali beat bigger fighters by relying on the jab instead of more powerful punches, and playing the 'rope-a-dope' - staying on the ropes to diminish the impact of his opponents punches and wear him out. Obama is doing the same thing - diminishing the impact of swift-boat attacks by not responding to them directly, and waiting until McCain gives him an opening to attack swiftly and directly. It doesn't hurt that McCain is providing plenty of openings, but I like Obama's judicious use of the less-substantive attack, it keeps him from appearing to have given up his integrity in the way McCain has. Obamarama!