Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Pass the Popcorn, Please

I don't mind admitting that I'm enjoying watching the Democrats killed by their own identity politics. There's something satisfying about watching the party of victims eat each other.

This article by Lanny Davis at HuffPo outlines 10 signs of Barack Obama's weakness. The comments are interesting primarily because Obamessiah supporters can't find any faults with their candidate. He's the super victim, the ultra victim, if you will: emblematic of the Victim Party, Obama is being undone by members of his own party. And it isn't his fault. Oh, no! It can't be his fault. Someone made him say stupid, insulting things about loyal Democrat voters. Someone forced him to stay 20 years in a bigot's church, then tell us how he "transcends" race. Someone pressured him to hang out with homegrown terrorists, unrepentant 40 years after their crimes. Someone else made him run negative ads, even after saying he wanted a "different" kind of campaign. Nope, wasn't Obama's fault. He was just a victim.

Obama's supporters are left looking silly when they sneer that Hillary Clinton should drop out because the popular vote isn't with her, particularly after she has the popular vote.

But what else can they argue? That she can't win in November? Clinton would have a better chance against John McCain in part because she would draw many voters who might otherwise vote for him. Obama's appeal among moderates and independents is questionable, at best. If the choice comes down to Obama or McCain, many in those groups will swing Republican.

Obama is left in the uncomfortable position of running away from his (scant) record when he tries to run to the center. He'll do this with his sleight of hand regarding his votes (and non-votes) in the Senate, but few will buy it. Between Obama's associates, his Most Liberal Senator status, and his nonscripted speeches, he's doing all the work for the GOP.