Is Obama "Back"?

Barack Obama stands with his wife, Michelle, during a primary results rally in Raleigh, N.C.

Emmanuel Dunand, AFP/Getty Images

As I listened to the television and radio pundits last night, as the results were being called from Indiana and North Carolina, I heard a set of phrases over and over. Obama was "back"; he looked "fresh" and "rested."

While the campaign did have a bruising couple of weeks, there seems to be a constant effort not only to judge the substance of his and Senator Clinton's campaigns; or their rhetoric; but whether or not they seem dispirited AND whether or not the fatigue from a series of 18- hour days is starting to show on their faces.

That aside, both candidates gave speeches with capital B capital T Big Themes.

Senator Obama seemed to hint that the primary was all but over, and attacked Senator McCain:

Somewhere along the line, between all the bickering and the influence-peddling and the game-playing of the last few decades, Washington and Wall Street have lost touch with these core values, these American values.

And while I honor John McCain's service to his country, his ideas for America are out of touch with these core values. His plans for the future, of continuing a war that has not made us safer, of continuing George Bush's economic policies that he claims have made great progress, these are nothing more than the failed policies of the past.

(More excerpts of Obama's speech are here.)

Senator Clinton gave the rallying cry to march on:

Not too long ago, my opponent made a prediction. He said I would probably win Pennsylvania, he would win North Carolina, and Indiana would be the tiebreaker. Well, tonight we've come from behind, we've broken the tie, and, thanks to you, it's full speed onto the White House.

(Excerpts of Clinton's speech are here.)

Are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet?

For the voters in the back of the presidential minivan, the answer is: not hardly.

Farai Chideya

Tags: Barack Obama | Election 2008 | Hillary Clinton