OPINION: Obama Needs to Take a Stand

Obama can also emerge as a strong leader on foreign affairs. He commented in his October 2002 speech against the Iraq war: "I'm not opposed to all wars. I'm opposed to dumb wars." He doesn't have to sound like a pacifist. He can continue to point out the failure of the Bush administration to capture Osama Bin Laden and allowing Al-Qaeda and the Taliban to regroup in Afghanistan.

Obama can also oppose another war in the Middle East, speaking in favor of diplomacy to stop Iran from securing nuclear weapons. The Bush administration showed with their handling of North Korea that it is possible to find alternate solutions. McCain, on the other hand, has joked that we need to "bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb" Iran.

Yes, Obama has an opportunity Thursday night in his acceptance speech. Americans want someone who can take charge. If Obama wants to win in November, he has to be a fighter for both the middle class and the war on terror, not a leader who proposes nuanced positions.