Top Five Reasons Obama Fails to Inspire

This summer, Obama and Clinton tussled over foreign affairs. Obama said that as president, he would meet with Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Clinton promptly criticized Obama for legitimizing cruel dictators without qualifying an agenda. Obama fired back by suggesting Clinton's foreign policy was a version of "Bush-Cheney lite," an assertion that hasn't held water with Democrats or Republicans.

In the last couple of months, Obama has embraced several conservative talking points on two big topics: health care and Social Security.

Critics of Obama, including the champion of progressives, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, question his health plan because it lacks a universal mandate. Echoing his conservative peers, Obama insists a mandate remains unenforceable.

Obama also used a conservative talking point on Social Security, insisting that it's a crisis that needs immediate attention. This is not true. The Social Security Trust Fund would run out in 2046, as I wrote in a recent column. Krugman spoke out about Obama's plans and was surprised when the Obama campaign released misleading information in his statements.

These missteps are a no-no for progressives.

5. Obama Takes Black Voters for Granted

Pundits have commented that Obama is the first black presidential candidate with a realistic chance to win. This makes me wonder why he appears to take black voters for granted.

This biggest instance arose when a controversy erupted over the Jena Six. The six were black teenagers charged with crimes after an attack on a white student in response to white students hanging a noose on tree in Jena, La. No white students were charged after the noose incident, and many felt this demonstrated unequal treatment. The black community raised funds for the six students' legal defense, and as many as 20,000 people marched in protest.