Why don't Barack Obama's supporters have more confidence in him?

One recurring theme that has been repeated endlessly for Barack Obama's campaign for the presidency is his own supporters complaining that he needs to do this or that or not do this or that or do more of this or that or less of this or that be more whatever or less whatever. I never cease to be amazed at how little confidence his own supporters have in him and his ability to figure out the right path for him to the Oval Office. His campaign really is all about "hope" and "change"... his supporters hoping that he will change. Just today, Professor Drew Westen over on The Huffington Post had a column entitled "The Day the Momentum Changed: And What Obama Needs to Do in the Debates to Keep It" in which he opined that "what he needs to do in the debates is precisely what he has not done thus far in that format, and what no Democrat other than Bill Clinton has done effectively in decades: to connect with voters in a way that makes them feel like they know and share his values, feel confident that he will keep them and their families safe, and will do right by people like them." So, basically we are being told that Barack does not know how to debate, that he does not know how to connect to voters, that he does not share their values, and that he does not have the experience to convince voters that he can keep them safe. Here we are less than two months from the election and Barack Obama is that deep in the hole? What is wrong with this picture?! Is Barack inexperienced and incompetent or not? If not, why are so many of his supporters treating him as if he were? There is a disconnect here somewhere.

The kernel of the disconnect is that Barack really is less than his supporters are claiming him to be. They have made false claims about his experience and ability and know that are struggling furiously to "bulk up" their over-hyped "fighter." OTOH, no candidate ever does meet the claims being made about them. Still, it does seem that Barack's supporters are working overtime to help him be something that he is not.

-- Jack Krupansky