Now comes the hard part

On the other hand, there are limits to what is tolerable, even in an election as crucial as this one. While I don’t expect the guy to be a socialist, I’m going to be powerfully disappointed if he repeats Clinton’s economic policies, notwithstanding that they’re marginally better than McCain’s or Bush’s. And I have to admit that I find the death penalty comments revolting, especially when he could have just chosen to be silent on the issue.

What makes all of this even more troubling is that Obama is already killing McCain in the polls, and therefore doesn’t appear to need to use the most egregious of these tactics. To be sure, he should be highly cautious about believing the election is all sewn up. And he gives every appearance of understanding - as any Democrat long ago should have - that these guys are going to try to smear him mercilessly, and therefore nothing should be taken for granted - eh, Mr. Kerry? That 15-point lead - even assuming that it is accurate - could potentially disappear rapidly - eh, Mr Dukakis? Still, is it really necessary to favour the expansion of the use of the death penalty in America?

What Obama appears to be doing is following the standard American presidential script, which is to run to your left (if you’re a Democrat) during the primaries, and then to the centre after securing the nomination. Obama never got very far to the left of the public at any point, but you can see him repositioning now. Perhaps after the election we’ll see yet a third version, and perhaps that will be more progressive than not. Perhaps.

I don’t think anyone knows, which is why so many of us are watching this guy so closely. It’s easy enough to be disappointed, especially for progressives, but mostly if you’re so unrealistic that you’d rather be 100 per cent politically pure than have a chance to govern. Some issues are worth that extremely high price. Many are not.

What I can say for myself is just this: I’m looking for someone with sufficient courage and vision to be able to govern at the left edge of what is realistically possible. While I’d certainly prefer more than that in a perfect world, in the real one I’m stuck in, I’ll generally take that over nothing at all. And I’ll certainly take that over the rampant destruction of all things precious that will continue if the GOP is allowed to govern another four years.

Let’s face it. If we’re honest we’ll admit that the only difference between voting for Ralph Nader versus demanding that Obama take electorally impossible stands is that the latter is an even surer path to political suicide.

Everyone has to make their own choices, of course. But, me? I generally recommend against suicide.

When it comes to Obama, we have to wait and see. What I can say is that he used to be closer to that realistically possible progressive edge in prior months than he has been over the last couple weeks. I might be happy if this is the low point for him and it just gets better from here on out. But let’s be honest, he’s had better stretches than this last one.

And it matters, too. To choose but one example, in the last week top NASA scientist James Hansen told Congress regarding global warming that “We're toast if we don't get on a very different path. This is the last chance.” He predicted mass extinction, ecosystem collapse, and dramatic sea level rises if we don’t take steps to save the planet, and fast.

The same is true across so many domains of American and global society, even if the crises aren’t quite that stunningly acute. We are in very deep trouble, in so many ways.

For sure, it will be wonderful to remove from the body politic the cancer currently occupying the White House.

But it will not be enough.