For Obama, better late than never

I think Barack Obama is finally getting the picture.  He waited too long to distinguish himself from Hillary Clinton, and challenge her each and every day.  Now, in an interview with the New York Times, Obama finally admits that it is time to turn up the volume:

In an interview that appeared timed by his campaign to signal thechange of course, Mr. Obama said "now is the time" for him todistinguish himself from Mrs. Clinton. While he said that he was notout to "kneecap the front-runner, because I don't think that's what thecountry is looking for," he said she was deliberately obscuring herpositions for political gain and was less likely than he was to winback the White House for Democrats.

So now is the time, eh?  Not during the spring, not during the summer, not during the early fall?  Well OK.  At least he is starting now:

Asked if Mrs. Clinton had been fully truthful with voters about what she would do as president, Mr. Obama replied, “No.”

“Idon’t think people know what her agenda exactly is,” Mr. Obamacontinued, citing Social Security, Iraq and Iran as issues on which shehad not been fully forthcoming.

“Now it’s been very deft politically,” he said. “But one of the thingsthat I firmly believe is that we’ve got to be clear with the Americanpeople right now about the important choices that we’re going to needto make in order to get a mandate for change, not to try to obfuscateand avoid being a target in the general election.”

How about discussing her electability?  Why has no one spoke about this?  In 2004, many Iowa voters felt that because Dean was too divisive, maybe someone like Kerry or Edwards would be better.

This time around, no one brings the Republicans together like Hillary Clinton.  We can complain all day about Clinton's Washington establishment roots.   In the end though, if Obama's team is going to make headway in Iowa, what matters to voters is electability.  That is what all of us need to be discussing as well.