I would like you all to hearken back to the year 2000.  After the Democratic Convention, Vice President Gore bounced ahead of Governor Bush in the polls.  His "I Am My Own Man" speech resonated with a country that, for better or worse, was suffering from "Clinton fatigue".

Then the debates came and Vice President Gore was all over the place.  Too aggressive on one night, too obsequious on another night.  His debate performances were poor and Governor Bush exceeded expectations.  By most counts Bush won at least 2 of the 3 debates.  The polls tightened up at the finish line.

Yes, we can argue that the election was stolen from the Vice President, but really the election was lost in those debates.  Had Gore performed better the election would not have been close.

Fast forward to 2008.  After trailing in the polls Senator McCain had a successful election and pulled even or vaulted ahead of Senator Obama.  The momentum is clearly in his favor with the pick of Palin and the fawning of the press.  Even Mayor Willie Brown, a bastion of liberalism, is saying that the Obama ticket is in trouble.

I tell you "NO!"  We have something to look forward to.

Obama will WIN the debates.  McCain will appear old and full of GOP talking points.  Obama will be the younger, fresher, more dynamic candidate.  He will be in charge of the facts and he will decimate McCain by pummeling him with his blind support of Bush's policies.  People will see in prime time who the true candidate of change is, who the candidate of the future is.

The contrast will be dazzling and the American people will see McCain for who he actually is:  the product of an older generation whose Cold War ideas and NeoCon era has passed.  Obama will stike this contrast vividly.  He will be sharp and in command of the issues

The debates will win this for our candidate.  We've seen it before but now it is our turn.  Now it is Obama's time.