Dear Senator Obama:

I've been supporting you since you announced. For the first time I feel like putting you in a room and screaming "stay on message!" Even at your weakest during the primary you only faltered in style here and there. But now you sound like Clinton during her darkest days -- a new message everyday, lacking clarity, letting the other guy get away with the story of the day.

It cracks me up that after your groundbreaking overseas trip, McCain started calling you a prima donna celebrity. What'd you do? You stopped being one! Hey, Obama, own it. You are a celebrity -- and we're ready for someone bigger than life after someone smaller than an ugly dog.

I've already spent a month for you in Iowa (toes still frozen) and the wife and I have donated the maximum for the primary and the general. We volunteer, we wear T-shirts, we sweat blood for you Obama. We do it because the country is too messed up for a hideously militant McCain administration.

So here's our advice:

1. I mean it, screw being defensive and start pounding the Democratic message home. Given the wrong track numbers at 80% you would think all you would have to do is repeat the mantra --"let's get back on track." This is the theme you started the general with -- nailing McCain with the "third Bush term" slogan. (It works because it's true.) Now you spend your time lamenting and backing down. Cut it out, you're scaring me.
2. Adjust to being a Democrat's Democrat -- selling the message and not yourself. It isn't enough just to say it's not about you -- you need to speak more plainly and forcefully about the core democratic arguments. The country's ready for it.
3. You get in trouble when you overthink and become enamored with your own reasoning and insight. That works for me, but it is apparently death to the voters you need now.
4. It's all about getting past the eight disastrous Bush years and getting the bus back out of the ditch and speeding on down the road. That's your message: following me down a new path!

This convention has to work or you might have lost by the time the debates roll around. The convention has to be forward looking -- specific, repeated messages about how the Obama administration is going to prepare us for the prosperity, security, and imagination of our children's futures.

There is a real opening for you to ignore the old man in the baggy pants telling old war stories, and to transcend the negative campaign with tough, clear, unequivocating messages about getting back on track.

Biden will help because he is no nonsense and will play the game like Chicago plays it--rough. He'll be so excited to be your VP he'll wet his pants before he tears down McCain and builds the Democratic vision. He's perfect.

I hope the message has already been drawn up. I hope what we've seen these past several weeks is about to change. I hope your advisers are giving you some high-dose energy pills. I hope you take my advice.

AND I HOPE YOU STAY ON MESSAGE THROUGH NOVEMBER 4!

Go get 'em.

John