Obama's stance practical not theoretical

WASHINGTON, May 29 (UPI) -- Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., breaks little new ground when he stresses solutions not ideology on policy, analysts say.

His approach gives presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain an opportunity to play up his positions on issues and comment on Obama's lack of policy experience, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

Obama's campaign is "clearly politically transformative, it's clearly from a policy standpoint been cautious," said James Galbraith, a liberal activist and economist at the University of Texas.

The change Obama promises "is one of tone and leadership style," said William Galston, a domestic policy adviser to former President Bill Clinton.

Heather Higginbottom, who runs Obama's policy office, said Obama's campaign is about practical solutions.

"(We) want to put forward ideas that will move forward in Congress," Higginbottom said. "And we have the potential to engage people in a way they haven't been engaged recently and give them the tools to participate."

David Axelrod, Obama's top political adviser, said the Illinois freshman senator's speeches will increasingly incorporate his policy proposals.

"The next six months is going to be about competing visions for this country," he said. "Obama is looking forward, and his policies will reflect that."