Sorry if this comes off sounding like a cranky Sunday rant (which it is), if it's been said already (probably has but no one seems to have taken notice), or if its too short/rantish for a diary....

Can we please, please stop focusing on how, why, when Senator Clinton lost the nomination.  Other than the fact that she was once "inevitable", I cannot for the life of me understand why people are overlooking the obvious:  she did not lose it, Barack Obama won it.  Period.  [Er, ok, more below the fold...]

I know I am going to get accused of going over the top with this this, but since her campaign brought up the notion of borrowed rhetoric, I thought I would remind everyone of an example of the same that to me says far more about the legitimacy and fitness of either two leading dem candidates than any other.

On October 10, 2002, Senator Hillary Clinton took to the floor of the United States Senate to offer her words in support of authorizing the President to use force in Iraq.  "Just words", I guess, but words nonetheless that helped a rogue president lead us into an unnecessary war.  But wait, it occurred to me today, while pondering the ridiculosness of her Obama/Deval Patrick charge, that her argument was not even hers.  She ripped it off.

Much has already been said about how people should not bombard the superdelegates wiht calls and emails trying to persuade them but in effect annoying them.

Instead, the Obama campaign has been trying to target the superdelegate effort.  Now, David Plouffe, the campaign manager has announced a way to channel everyone's thoughts....

Mitchell Van Yahres was a long-time Charlottesville, VA, democratic politician.  He passed away last Friday and his elequoent obituary (below the fold) is a prolific testemant to the kind of man and kind of politician he was.

It sounds like an Obama kind of person, and then there is the kicker, in lieu of flowers, friends (everyone he ever met) are asked to....

I am new enough around here not to know if this is un-cool, but I want to repost this diary supplying Judge Patricia Wald's profound endorsement of Senator Obama Judge Patricia Wald's profound endorsement of Senator Obama from last night.

I found this on the Obama website last night, posted it here, and realize amid all the election results it may be getting lost in the shuffle.  I was hoping to see it published in a major newspaper like WaPo today but I don't see it.

[Update: I am disappointed I do not see this endorsement published in a major newspaper this morning.  Hopefully the Obama campaign is on it.  This deserves wide circulation, including to those struggling with the gender vote issue.]

The Honorable Patricia Wald has written a profound and informed endorsement of Barack Obama.

It is worth a read.

And you may want to forward it on....

I have always understood that Kos started this site to facilitate, encourage, and inspire action.

So all you Obama supporters working on and in Lousiana, Nebraska, Washington, Maine, DC, Maryland and Virginia....

Do not read this diary.  Stop now.  Do not post comments.

Likewise, don't ready any diaries, posts, news stories about polls and how great we are.  Instead.....

Several diaries, overlapping on the rec list the past 36 hours, have helped feed the Obama donations.

A diarist has already pointed out the HuffPo rumor of a Gore endorsement.

Let's bring it together and bring hit home.....below...

According to WaPo, Bill Richardson is deciding between endorsing Obama or Clinton (Hillary that is) this week, or not to make an endorsement at all.

This endorsement would be huge for the Obama campaign on several levels, not the least of which is with the latino community in the southwest including California.

Down below I will quote the WaPo piece, and give you email addresses to use to urge Gov. Richardson to consider Barack Obama's candidacy for what it could mean for this country.

Hillary's breaking her pledge to the other candidates and the party not to campaign or participate in the Florida primary needs to be understood as just that -- another display of lack of integrity.  

The Obama and Edwards campaigns should not ignore it, and more importantly the media should not just try to explain why Florida doesn't matter -- they should make it clear that Hillary is breaking her agreement with the other candidates, going against the party, and out of pure and desparate self interest.

She wants to change the conversation this week in advance of Super Tuesday obviously.  The conversation should still be about her lack of integrity.

No, this is not a diary about Bill and Hillary's war on Barack Obama and the truth.  At least not directly.  There is plenty written about that from the past two weeks, like this, and this and this and on and on....

This is about another war going on in a country on the other side of the world.  You may have heard something about it, although not much lately.  This diary is about the War in Iraq and Hillary Clinton, who is probably happier than anyone the media has decided to second or third page it.  

Those of us who read DailyKos probably all agree that it is mostly George Bush's war, and it is.  But others share the blame, and not just the Rumsfelds and Cheneys of infamy (or is it ignonimy).  It is also Hillary's war to an extent, an extent she has so far gotten the democratic base to forget about as she argues about how she is ready to lead.  Not so fast, and hence this diary.....

Karl Rove's hit piece on Barack Obama today in the Wall Street Journal (no, I dont want to link to it, thank you very much) is classic smearing, worthy of, well, Karl Rove.  

As an Obama supporter, part of me wants to deconstruct it, belie all the smears, flash light on his Rovian darkness.... but I am guessing another diarist will, and as therapuetic as it might be, this audience does not need proof that Karl Rove is a lying manipulating scumbag.

So, to my surprise, this -- my very first diary here -- is not an argument for Barack Obama; although the Rove/Limbaugh wing of the GOP's response to the possibility of such a transformative presidency the past week is an argument for Barack in and of itself.  I thought my first diary would be about Iowa or New Hampshire.  Didn't have time, have been too busy raising money, canvassing, and other grass roots work for Barack.

My first diary after the jump....