Did you notice that he specifically mentioned that John Lewis was politically threatened?  Or the parable he told about holding a seat for his friend at the State of the Union address?

Cleaver said that some caucus members would overlook Obama's failure so far to hold a fundraiser for them but added that others would be disappointed. He predicted many CBC members would end up endorsing Clinton.

"Mrs. Clinton, as we expected her to, definitely stepped up," he said. "I think you're going to see a sizeable number of CBC members joining her campaign, not just because of the fundraiser, [but] because of her history of stepping up, not just with money but on issues."

Nora O'Donnell: "He said, 'I understand when she's down (emphasis hers), that she makes these kinds of attacks. It's getting a little personal."

Andrea Mitchell: "It's getting a little personal and, very frankly, you know how deeply we interpreted every comment to look for some sort of racial motivation before South Carolina. A lot of people said it was there. But, you know, when you start describing a female (emphasis hers) candidate as being "down" and "striking back." I don't know, that's a little edgy, don't you think?"

Does anyone know if they turned it into an "Obama, great guy? or greatEST guy?" spiel?

I don't know how to love him. What to do, how to move him. I've been changed, yes really changed. In these past few days, when I've seen myself, I seem like someone else. I don't know how to take this. I don't see why he moves me. He's a man. He's just a man. And I've had so many men before, In very many ways, He's just one more. Should I bring him down? Should I scream and shout? Should I speak of love, Let my feelings out? I never thought I'd come to this. What's it all about? Don't you think it's rather funny, I should be in this position. I'm the one who's always been So calm, so cool, no lover's fool, Running every show. He scares me so. I never thought I'd come to this. What's it all about?

I believe Clyburn spoke on this yesterday he is alarmed that it is pitting a black progressive coalition against the majority of the remaining base who believe them to be unfairly marginalized and that they will retaliate against black and male candidates.  I believe he is correct in his assessment from what I am hearing its personal now for many.

Claims Obama wants to cut SS benefits and raise retirement age?!?!?!

Can you show me where he has said he doesn't want to do this?

He calls SS "in crisis" - RW talking point.

He has not categorically denied he wants to cut benefits or raise retirement age - Hillary has.

He says "everything is on the table."

"So the Obama plan would leave more people uninsured than the Clinton plan. How big is the difference?
From Krugman
To answer this question you need to make a detailed analysis of health care decisions. That's what Jonathan Gruber of M.I.T., one of America's leading health care economists, does in a new paper.

I like Obama very much. The comment seems utterly out of character.

This blog is too polite -- no chance to get a licking in (used to really partisan show downs).

:bored: :hungry:

I think a lot of people have this impression that the negative effect that a smear campaign has is a function merely of the effort of the smearers. No it is not. It is also a function of the target - how (s)he responds, how (s)he is generally viewed by the population etc.

I've been watching these things for decades. Beleive me, we are not so innocent. I gladly participated in throwing everything I possibly could at Reagan during the eighties. There was no lack of attacks. It didnt work because the guy was simply liked by the average person. They didnt want to beleive anything bad about him, no matter what. We caught them red-handed selling arms to our enemies in direct violation of the law and he just shrugged it off, and so did the average citizen.

I dont know if Obama's Teflon will last, but at least he has some. Hillary is glue. She is not liked by close to half the population. It may not be fair, but it is reality. Average people tend to want to like Obama - hell, I go to Republican sites and see people writing that they wish they could vote for him, 'cept they dont agree with anything that he would do.

The reasons one or the other might not:

1. At the end of the day, the middle won't go for the liberalism represented by the two candidates.  If that's the case, Clinton might have an edge cause she has been more centrist at times.

2. At the end of the day, the country won't elect a woman or an African-American.  Not sure which is the tougher sell

Obama.  Maybe the all-style meme will stick.  Or the notion that he has no experience.  I had those vague fears when I first started following the election six weeks ago.  But his performance in the debate has assuaged me on that point.  And he's running a very good campaign.  Still, he is new and that means we don't have a good forecast on how his campaign will unfold over the long haul.

Clinton.  Will mobilize the right like no other candidate could.  The right will forget that they are disaffected by McCain and will turn out in force.  Independents who are looking for a break from politics as usual will find solace in the Republican's ability to nominate someone considered a 'maverick' in contrast with the democrat's offer of chance to revisit the 1990's.  There will be a big spasm at some point as the country digests the fact that Bill would be back in the White House, for a host of reasons ranging from fears of dynastic politics (what comes after Clinton II? Jeb???) to concerns about the role he will play in the White House (co-President?) to fears that we are going to get washed up (fairly or unfairly) in another era of the string of scandals associated with the Clintons.  

We'll all have different reactions about how these things play out.  My own gut is strongly that Clinton has a much harder time winning in November than Obama.  It's harder to see right now how his candidacy plays out... what sort of curve balls might come.  But we have a pretty good picture of what comes with Clinton. ALL the old mud from the past comes back out.  New challeges about their finances since they last lived in the white house.  That derangement syndrome that you all hate.  Hillary playing back tough but disaffecting the part of the electorate that is fed up with 50% + 1 style politics.  

But if she doesn't get the nomination you would sooner vote someone who is staunchly pro-life and who would pick very conservative justices than vote for someone who is just as staunchly pro-choice as Hillary and who would quite possibly give us the most liberal justices since the Warren Court.