2. 4 million Pennsylvania voters spoke last night besting 2004’s anemic 800,000 votes cast (and that contest was already decided). No matter how you slice the numbers three times as many voters turned out, more than 150,000 of them newly registered. Both candidates won their core constituencies and neither can make a claim for: a knockout blow or decisive victory. Meanwhile John McCain has had Spring Break in Europe and courts black voters in Selma Alabama. That’s par for the course in this “through the looking glass” world we have fallen into this election year. The news today has Obama taking the gloves off and keeping them off and he will rebound strongly in two weeks’ time in Indiana and North Carolina. While many worry about his experience, the one thing you cannot say is that he is a slow learner.
I am in the chorus of those asking Hillary to do the right thing, fall on her sword and exit gracefully. The Clintons though are from the old street fighter mentality of the party. Never bring a knife to a gun fight may indeed have been invented during their years of struggle. However, when you meet with the editor of a newspaper (AND accept his endorsement) in Pennsylvania who formed the great right wing conspiracy you bemoaned when your husband was in office, your moral authority becomes even further tarnished. At times they seem much more worried about their own legacy than anything else and even with this victory, the numbers become more daunting by the day.
Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry became the latest super-delegate this morning to declare for Obama making the “declared super delegates since Super Tuesday” math picture even grimmer for Mrs. Clinton. Every day she stays in the race, Obama sounds and looks more presidential.
Obama isn’t doing himself any favours by freezing like a deer in the headlights when she comes at him with the kitchen sink, shelves, stove and table. The New York Yimes Op-Ed columnist Maureen Dowd suggested this week that Senator Obama needs to “balance his cool with some heat as JFK did.”
There is one certainty, he is cool and a fast learner. No one has kept up with the shifting sands and learned from setbacks anywhere this campaign year like the Senator.
Obama 8.1 unveils today and it will be strong, inspiring and meaner.
