while it takes shine off his lustre as a brand new kind of politician - he even had to learn to speak so movingly - it demonstrates that he's an incredibly quick study.

I don't think Estrich is exactly right, because there remains a regionalism factor that will make it near impossible to take a state like Florida, but he can compete in OH, PA and MO, plus NV and CO, and he may upset the CW in VA and MT.

I wholly agree with her and you that airing the laundry early will prove a boon to his Fall campaign.

Also, when he appeared in Eugene the other day, my impression of his speech was (a) he's already roadtesting things for stump speeches to come and (b) he's taking extra pains to define himself and Michelle at a personal level, to overcome McCain's efforts to typecast them.

So it all looks like a solid 'Go' to me.

- Kev - 'Don't question authority. Assume authority.'

Rep Tom Allen (D-ME) and Crystal Strait California.

Well, "You can't vote for war and disown the results"

"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."

Quite an understatement.  I'd just say that young people hate republicans more now than they have in a long time and Obama is perfectly positioned to take advantage of it.

--
When we hear freedom we know it doesn't mean armed occupation. --felagund

Let's pick up where Booman left off. It's not just packing a stadium, we're talking drawing crowds of 20,000 in Seattle, Austin, and Atlanta, 24,000 in New York. This is unprecedented. And the contrast in message, charisma, etc. dramatic to say the least. Then there's crossover appeal. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a large number of quotes from Independents and moderate Republicans suggesting they may support or are intrigued by Dukakis. But the list of people in that category willing to admit they're feeling Barack's gravitational pull is long and impressive. And then there's the trump card of all trump cards in modern politics, money. The amount Obama has raised and the way he's done it, by getting small amounts from millions of donors, is unheard of from a candidate much less a Democratic one. No Dem has been able to roll into the general election with the upper hand finance wise vs the GOP. Most found themselves closer in situation to Susan's girl Hillary with her $20 mil and growing debt. But the Obama camp took notes from the Dean movement and took things to another level.

HRC supporters are understandably going through a rough time right now as they deal with the inevitable end of her candidacy. Anyone who's put their heart into working for a pol and lost can surely relate. But to make absurd comparisons like this doesn't help anyone. But I suppose it may be par the course coming from a Clinton supporter that frequently yuks it up with Sean Hannity on Fox News and is being published on RCP.