Curmudgeon

McCain's depiction of Obama as a celebrity appeals to the curmudgeon in us. It resonates in a couple of ways.

1. People resent celebrities for achieving fame and fortune without hard work.
2. People are tired of hearing about the next new thing, which is really nothing special.

Unfortunately for Obama, number 1 is hard to fight, but he did it well against Hillary, who is a much better campaigner than McCain. And it is usually a small factor in presidential elections. Claims of 'not ready to lead' don't stand up for anyone who is objective and listens to what Obama is saying.

Number 2 should be easier. You just have to explain what the new thing is about, until it seems less risky. Very few voters want another Republican disaster, so the bar for this is not too high. Obama should address this issue head on, as is his style. He should talk about how change can be scary, but the risks can be managed. This has the additional advantage that his opponent becomes the candidate of the status quo (as if he is not that already).

If the Republicans want to subtly 'define' Obama as a 'celeb', then Obama should 'define' what their argument is by answering charge 2 instead of charge 1.