In news that highlights the big-tent appeal of the Obama campaign, serial third-party footsie-playing semi-Democratic ex-Senator David Boren of Oklahoma endorsed Barack this morning. This is notable largely because Boren is the Broderite Master of Democratic self-loathing -- an alleged Dem who seriously considered running with Ross Perot as an independent in '96, after Perot had already demonstrated his, er, "flightiness"; and who was at the forefront of the Sycophantic Plutocratophiles for Bloomberg faction that fizzled out once it became apparent that Obama had firmly dominated Bloomy's ecological niche. Consequently, it's something of a novelty to see Boren actually endorsing a Democrat.

Of course, Boren's endorsement primarily serves to highlight how irredeemably polluted Joe Lieberman has become. When even David "Third Party" Boren is lining up behind Obama, it's time to realize that there's a true consensus Democrat on the scene. Yet "Independent Democrat" Joe is alone in his own little world, backing an archconservative.

Do you think he understands what a sad, lonely joke he's become?

I deeply regret that I haven't read this Lambert guy at Correntewire before but his post from Friday: Obama stump speech strategy of conciliation considered harmful, deserves attention and should be seen by as many eyes as possible before the Iowa caucuses.  

For some time, especially since Obama ducked out of the Lieberman-Kyl vote and chickened out on the MoveOn vote, I've had this little voice of nagging doubt in the corner of my head.  After two disastrous relationships, I have learned to pay particular attention to that little voice.    

My initial thought was:

I was on the verge of concluding that Obama might be too easily flattered into running before his time.  Or that he was a particularly malleable candidate who is somewhat at the mercy of savvy political types, looking for employment in a new administration.  Or that he was a bit too beholden to his wealthy patrons who don't like mandates