With wounds still fresh from losing tight elections in 2000 and 2004, many party members thought this would be the first presidential race since 1996 that did not come down to the wire.

But Democrats have grown increasingly distressed as Sen. John McCain, the Republican candidate, has tied or overtaken Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate, nationally and in key battleground states.

To make matters worse for the Democrats, Obama’s chances of winning traditionally Republican states such as North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia — as supporters have claimed he could — now look dim.

With less than 60 days until Election Day, Democrats fear Obama could become the next Al Gore or John Kerry, and they are not happy about it.

This malaise was evident at Temple Ner Tamid on Broad Street in Bloomfield this past Sunday, Sept. 14. An audience of about 200 people came to hear Newsweek columnist/Senior Editor Jonathan Alter of Montclair share his insights on the 2008 presidential campaign.

The crowd seemed heavily Democratic; a number of audience members wore buttons voicing support for Obama, while none were seen sporting buttons touting McCain.

Alter, an obvious Obama supporter, tried to placate some of the crowd’s fears regarding McCain’s poll surge.

"I’m trying to cheer you up a little here," Alter told one woman.

Citing Democrats’ poor history of winning presidential elections — the party has won only four out of the last 12 contests, and only two of the last seven — Alter said he understands the party’s anxiety.

"There’s a natural kind of pessimism that sets in, in these situations, but I don’t think it’s merited," he said, predicting a tight race from now until November.

Alter, a member of Ner Tamid, did not wish to guess who is going to win the White House in November, though he did have plenty to say about the race thus far.

The outcome of this election, he said, will determine how the world views the United States and how the United States looks at itself.

The most important issue of the 2008 campaign is restoring America’s status in the world, so that the nation can garner more worldwide support for its fight against terrorism, Alter said. He recounted the famous story from Mark Twain’s "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," where the main character persuades his friends to help him whitewash his aunt’s fence.

"Our challenge in the 21st century is: How do we get other nations to help us paint the fence?" said Alter, adding that such a challenge requires "a skillful mix of diplomacy and collaborative thinking."

Alter predicted that a McCain presidency would be an "impulsive, erratic and fairly unpredictable administration," while an Obama presidency, even if unsuccessful policy-wise, would be culturally successful.

The columnist believes McCain’s recent ads are "full of distortions, and in some cases downright lies." He predicted that if McCain wins, he will immediately seek out the press and apologize for his campaign’s descent into negativity.

Alter said McCain’s current campaign is a far cry from his 2000 presidential bid, when the senator christened the "Straight Talk Express" — a campaign bus whose name was a nod to McCain’s reputation as a maverick. That reputation is no longer evident, Alter said.

"The ‘Straight Talk Express’ has become the ‘Double Talk Express,’" he said.

As for Gov. Sarah Palin, McCain’s running mate, Alter believes she will have no effect on the election. With the exception of 1960, when Sen. Lyndon Johnson arguably helped Sen. John F. Kennedy win the presidency, no other vice presidential pick has had any influence on the race, Alter said — though he conceded the 2008 campaign has already broken several longstanding beliefs.

Palin, who was relatively unknown nationally prior to last month’s GOP convention, was a hot topic during Alter’s lecture. Her name was mentioned before McCain’s or Obama’s. The crowd greeted many of the references to the Alaska governor with healthy laughter.

According to Alter, before McCain tapped Palin to be his running mate, the GOP candidate said he wanted a vice president who would be ready on "day one" to lead the country.

Palin is not that person, Alter said.

"I don’t think anybody with any intellectual honesty can say she meets that standard," Alter said, comparing Palin’s rise to the reality show "American Idol."

Though many of the Democrats on hand to hear Alter speak did not seem optimistic about Obama’s chances, Mary Lee of Glen Ridge was not one of them. Lee, an Obama supporter, organized the Sept. 14 event at Ner Tamid, and unlike some of her fellow Democrats, Lee remains "somewhat hopeful" that Obama will win.

Lee praised Alter for bringing some common sense to the campaign.

"It was good to hear a rational, level-headed person," she said.

Lee’s optimism was seconded by Elizabeth Peters, also of Glen Ridge. Peters said she appreciated Alter’s honesty when discussing Obama’s "slim résumé," though she remains an Obama fan. Both women are former supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton.

"John McCain will be a third Bush term," said Peters. "He voted with George Bush 90 percent of the time, and I don’t want that."

A Congressional Quarterly study has found that through the course of the Bush presidency, McCain has voted in line with Bush 90 percent of the time.

Terrence T. McDonald is a staff writer for Bloomfield Life