This week BO intoned that he would get all of Hillary's supporters, if he was the Democratic candidate for the general election. In the next breath, he stated that his supporters would not so easily move to Hillary's side, if/when she is the general election candidate for the Democratic Party.
What ever happened to party loyalty? Why not a simple statement that he would work to unite the Party behind whoever the candidate was?
This claim is breathtaking in its audacity and presumption. Although I might give the young man a private vote in the booth, I'd have a real problem putting up a lawn sign for him (or doing my usual GOTV volunteer effort). This entire stable community of homeowners (Red town, Red county, Blue state) would not take kindly to any neighbor being too progressive -- even though we've lived in the same house here for 30 years.
My wife immigrated to this country from China in 1961, and I eagerly sought her perspective as events unfolded in Tiananmen Square in 1989. She said -- students can't run the country of China. The government is right (to put down the rebellion). Her simple statement was at odds with everything I'd believed as a lifelong progressive, and it stood in contrast to most of her beliefs, too. But there was a sense of the ultimate rightness of her observation. Seasoning, and experience, matters.
When I look at various recent Obama endorsers of note, I see Bill Bradley (NJ party malcontent), Tom Daschle (out of the politics for good reason) and a lot of folks who don't seem willing to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work. I see a lot of people I've never heard of before grabbing a cheap political headline. But ... I don't see Al Gore. I don't see my current NJ senators, nor Governor Corzine, nor any federal or state representatives.
Obama's candidacy has a long, long uphill road. Right now, fresh off the SC results, I fear a potential autumn Dukakis debacle in the making. I'm not a voter easily swayed by marketing hype, and it seems all we've gotten so far is the steak's sizzle.