The convention has been very good, but tonight Senator Obama gets the center stage and here is what this Analyst thinks he should say:

I am more like Joe Sixpack then you think. I grew up with a single mother and we were not rich. If you elect me I will change the culture of Washington and restore America's role in the world and get our troops out of Iraq. I will have a government that works for all of America not just African-Americans or the rich or the lobbyists. If you are in the middle class I will lower your taxes. If you are in the highest income group I will raise your taxes.

I am a Christian and I love America and I honor the flag and our veterans. I am prepared to be your commander in chief and I respect our military. In fact I have more experience in national security and US foreign policy with my service in the U.S. Senate than either Bill Clinton or George W. Bush had when they were first elected.

Yes I have a wife that can be candid at times and that is why I love her. And yes I had a minister that said some stupid things and he is no longer my minister. Yes my name is weird, but I have lived the American experience and I am prepared to lead our nation. Trust me, do not fear me.

That is what he should say and why is in the recent focus groups in Macomb MI

And then there is the recent study done by Stan Greenberg where he conducted focus groups in Macomb Michigan. His study is at http://www.gqrr.com/index.php?ID=2234 and it is worth the read.

The execution summary is:

"Going into the Democratic convention, Barack Obama remains a candidate with unique strengths and unique challenges. He has yet to close the deal with many white, working-class voters who normally vote Democratic. Winning back these Democratic defectors and Reagan Democrats will be a key goal for Obama in his quest for the presidency.

A new report from GQR and Democracy Corps returns to Macomb County, Michigan, the place where Stan Greenberg first identified Reagan Democrats and their importance in 1985. Based on six focus groups and two surveys, this report takes an in-depth look at the Regan Democrats and Democratic defectors of Macomb to understand why they are currently holding back from Obama and what can be done to bring them back into the fold by November. "

"Key Findings

The findings are surprising and important. The flight of the Reagan Democrats away from the Democratic Party in the 1980s and earlier was largely driven by racial issues. But even with the prospect of the first black president, race, while not unimportant, is not definitive for these voters. Their hesitation is based primarily on two other issues.

First, Obama has yet to connect with these voters' anger at the elites of business and politics who have sold out the American worker and middle class. His inability so far to convince these voters that he shares their passion is leaving votes on the table.

Second, the Reagan Democrats and Democratic defectors of Macomb harbor doubts about Obama's national security credentials; many refusing to dismiss their worst fears - that he does not love America or even might harbor a secret agenda.

Because of these doubts Obama trails in the blue-collar battleground county of Macomb. But if he can reassure these voters on national security and connect with their outsider anger on the economy he can close the gap in Macomb and, perhaps, put the state of Michigan (where he already leads) out of reach."

Here is a sample of what Greenberg heard:

"One of the men - a moderate Democrat around 40 years old with some schooling beyond

high school - was nearly consumed with the question but also could not let go. "I totally agree

with what you're saying about the opportunities [for major changes if Obama is elected] but a

big suspicion that I had that if Barack Obama gets back into office . are we going to see this

big shift in the United States? You know, reparations for slaves and just a whole shift in mindset.

And I know that is not why we should vote is because of the race issue."

In the old Macomb and in the old way of getting information that would have settled the

issue, but Macomb has changed and people now have entirely new ways of getting information

and are using them. Then, the man continued on:

I go on Barack Obama's site a couple of times a week and I really want to vote for him

and I want to see change in this country. I checked on factcheck.org to see who is lying about

what everyday and it is a great site, factcheck.org, they send e-mails out. But you know I remain

undecided who am I going to vote for.

He remains undecided because electing Obama could be a big change: "let's face it one

way, we been Caucasian for a whole entire country's life you know, our whole life and now we

are going to change to having a black president." But then, he quickly qualifies about Obama,

"He doesn't play the race card. He distances himself from all of those types of influences." But

then he asks himself, "are we going to be surprised after things change you know?" He talked

about the good racial balance in the current cabinet: "it is not like all Caucasians in the cabinet."

To the nods of others, he summarized his feelings, "I guess I have fears. I don't know

why I do but, and I don't know how it would affect me in my daily life either. I just got to be

honest about it. I don't know. It probably wouldn't even affect me in my daily life." And thus,

he remains undecided."

Let's see how Barack does tonight in answering this guys questions.

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