Great diary.

Regarding #2 - I think the greater point is about the fairness of the tax system. Obama wants to make the system more fair - which would result in lower taxes, at least proportionately, for the vast, vast majority of Americans. I think this is something that most people will appreciate.

Regarding #4 -  I think it is up to Obama and his campaign to generate a response to these claims. He needs a sound-bite worthy plan he can repeat ad nauseum to the cameras for a couple months. Maybe even something as simple as a 100-days plan or a "top 3" list.

because Obama does have the most liberal voting record in the Senate bar none, but I'm not sure it really matters this election.

#1 - It'll be a two-pronged campaign. First, like you talk about, Obama's not 100% liberal. Second, being liberal isn't a bad thing. More people would identify with liberals if the word liberal wasn't synonymous with "idealistic hippie". Liberals: fix health care, end the war, help the helpless. That's supposed to be a bad thing?

#2 - He wants to repeal the Richie Rich tax cuts to help everyone. It's an easy case to make.

#3 - Great point.

#4 - Some of that was because of the nature of the primary, but he's got plenty of specifics on his website. He does need to hone his message to a few specific points that people can talk about.

#5 - McCain had experience. He had insight. He had everything... And he chose wrong. Repeatedly. Experience only matters if you learn from it, and he hasn't.

but a majority think Obama is "liberal" as opposed to moderate.

- He is a liberal.  

Let's see:
1. Obama is perceived as being far left due to the fact that he came out of the south side of Chicago and his associations. There's really nothing he can do about that.

2. Well they say that about every D. Ignore.

3. This is a serious problem. Obama really doesn't have many accomplishments. I understand he had basically done nothing for the first six years in the Il senate. He hasn't been in the US senate long enough to really accomplish anything. There's nothing he can do about this either.

4. The reason people believe that he doesn't have specific plans is because he doesn't talk about his plans. And don't tell people to go to his website. That's a really dumb mistake that Kerry constantly made. People think you are too lazy to tell them your stances when you say that.

5. Obama doesn't have experience. He is the least qualified candidate to run for the presidency in probably 100 years or more.

#1: I think it's also important to point out that, since his term in the office has been Bush's second as President, he's been taking stances against some disastrous policies of the Bush administration.  

In other words, if you look at voting records the since January 2005, I bet a LOT of Democrats seem like uber-liberals.  But you can't go wrong selling his time in the Senate as being opposed to Bush's policies (and, thus, McCain as being for them).  Because of Bush, who threatens to veto anything Democrats might want to pass, Obama has had fewer chances to truly craft the sort of bi-partisan approach that he has talked about in his campaign, but (and this is important if you're talking to independents/moderates) he's signaling his willingness, as President, to NOT have such a close minded administration.  

There isn't a single issue where you can't effectively contrast what Obama wants to do with what Bush has done and McCain very well might do.

#5 is a loser for him in the general election.

It reminds voters that four years ago, he wasn't even IN the U.S. Senate (therefore it is easy for him to talk about the Iraq war resolution as he had no RESPONSIBILITY for voting either for or against it). (He would have voted "present" even if he had been there).

So he was right once. So what? France was right too. That doesn't make him any more "prescient" than Hillary or any other Democrat who voted yes in the Senate.

I'm sure making fun of McCain's age is going to be very helpful with age 65+ voters

Who are much more reliable voters than Obama's college-kid base.