Peggy Noonan has a wise piece in The Wall Street Journal today assessing the shifts in the presidential race. She credits McCain with closing the gap, but observes his persistent weaknesses. She rejects the arrogance rap on Obama, but observes his weaknesses, too.
NOTE to commentors: I didn’t declare Noonan a genius or endorse everything she’s said and written in the past. Nor did I suggest her piece contained “news.” I merely said her observations in this particular column were wise. I should have added that it’s refreshing to see a conservative refrain from repeating the Obama-is-presumptuous meme and to acknowledge there was some logic behind his trip to Europe and the way he’s been campaigning, even if you think he’s made mistakes or overdone it at times. As for McCain closing the gap, I’m pretty sure the running RCP average shows some tightening in the head-to-head since early June, when Obama clinched the nomination. Favorability ratings and, most importantly, state polls tend to refect the same thing. The tightening isn’t dramatic, and it may not last, but it’s there. At least that’s what Tom Daschle, that noted media hack, says.