The “post racial, post partisan” politics of Senator Barack Obama never had a great shot of achieving tangibility; even as a large portion of the nation turned against the War and the president well over a year ago. George Washington’s much discussed final speech as president in which he derided party politics fell upon the ears of a nation that was ready to explode with partisan divide. Ours was a new nation that was formed upon the celebration of multiple and often conflicting thoughts and Washington undoubtedly knew a world without division would not last. So, just as Obama decried the politics of old, just as George W. Bush had in 2000 and Bill Clinton had in 1992, it was only a matter of time before he too would get swept by the divide.

Today marks the first time a poll has shown his rival, Senator John McCain, leading the race. Polls will undoubtedly change from this day until November with some showing Obama ahead, some behind. What is important to remember is Democrats entered this political season believing there was no way they could lose. Just weeks ago Democrat and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi avoided talk of domestic drilling by espousing the logic that a Dem Congress and president would soon be in power, negating the need for a vote today. Hubris is more often than not the downfall of most politicians and as a simple matter of physics the higher things rise, the further they must fall.

Senator Obama has inherited a Party that is divided. We know he will walk into the Convention Hall next week amid protestors yelling he is too conservative and ignoring the flight of a thousand different things. He will face a party half of which supported another candidate and a percentage of which supported a similar “new politics” dreamer who was just caught in an adulterous affair. He will inherit a Party that was supposed to be united as anti-War but that too has its internal divisions. A Party that has found no compromise on gay rights or marriage, no compromise on the environment, no compromise on military authority, international trade or any other issue between those who argue on the far left and those blue collar workers and business types who want something different than Republicanism but not something too extreme.

Just as it was in 2000 and 2004 the Democrats lack a platform to stand on. Their only cause is to not be Republicans, their countless failures as leaders of the House and Senate have all but erased the notion that they are. Elected to end a War in 2006 they now face the realization that they may have been wrong in going against the Iraq “surge”. Facing widespread strife around the globe they face the possibility that “sitting down to talk” may not be a foreign policy that will resonate with most Americans or truly lead to revolutionary change.

Senator Obama has inherited a Party that is largely disconnected from the needs and wants of the American people. For a short time in 2006, the nation and the Party banded together. Republicans who were not ready to switch sides for the vote simply stayed home knowing what the result would be. Today it looks more likely than not we will see an electoral map very similar to the one we saw in the previous two elections. A united nation of blue, as Democrats were envisioning a few months ago, most likely will not occur.

To win Barack Obama must unite his Party and the nation at the same time. As he has moved to the center he has proven himself to be just like those before him to liberals and disingenuous to Republicans. As he has shied away from fighting back attacks from Senator McCain, he has reminded the country of the weakness of Kerry & Gore. Obama must unite a nation that is still scarred over race relations, still battling over abortion, still divided over gay unions, fearful of economic destruction and World War.

The nation is not post racial or post partisan, just hungry for leadership that is more than empty promises and marketing slogans. Obama has not proven himself to be consistent, strong or capable of delivering his promises and until now many of those on the right were so divided over their own party they were not paying much attention to the opposition. Now, they have begun and if I am right the battle between McCain & Obama has just begun and won’t be the landslide Democrats had hoped for.

Democrats have been out of touch with working and religious people for many years now and just as Republicans were able to do to John Kerry and Al Gore, so too are they doing with Barack Obama. Make no mistake about it though, Obama hasn’t helped himself in fighting off attacks that he is “arrogant”, elitist, ivy league and disconnected.

Next week the Convention will return the Democratic Party to the living rooms of the American people. They may be given a glimpse of a Party reformed, one that understands and is ready to lead. They may also see a pack of wolves eating away at their chances. Michael Moore, Arianna Huffington, Barbara Streisand, Al Sharpton, Al Gore, John Kerry, Jimmy Carter and the caravan of usual suspects may beam themselves into the lives of those around America, reminding them why they oppose this party and don’t want to see it take power.

The greatest miscalculation the Democrats have made in the last two years was in thinking Republicans had abandoned conservatism, they haven’t and they never will. They are no ready to embrace a liberal Senator, abortion rights, gay marriage, extreme environmentalism or anything close. They have simply become disenchanted with a party that wasn’t conservative enough.

Obama has a fight on his hands and a race much different than what MSNBC or Newsweek has foretold.