Democratic Primary: So Are The Days of our Lives...

There was a lot of back-and-forth insanity in the campaign this week, and I want to try and assess it all, as best I can. I think I may make this a weekly feature.

I still have friends and coworkers come up to me with the sentiment that they like Sen. Obama enough, but they feel they haven't gotten anything substantive from him. Part of this is a double-standard... when Gore ran a substantive campaign in 2000, everyone demanded more charisma instead. Now, they have a charismatic candidate, and they insist they want substance instead. I would urge them-- and you all-- to check out this site, which has done a better job of compiling Obama's substantive record than even his own website (itself no blank slate). And when he does discuss substance, the media is nowhere to be found.

An addendum on the issue of whether Geraldine Ferraro's comments were racist... whether she is racist or not, I am doubtful, but it was unquestionably an attempt to use racial wedge politics (it's the Lee Atwater take on the Southern Strategy all over again... you can't say "n***er" anymore, so you speak abstractly while getting the same message across to working-class white voters). It's not a coincidence this happened now. I believe it's all part a conscious strategy to discredit Obama and to marginalize his candidacy.

It's understandable. They're losing by every measure. Ugly as it is, it's effective politically.

The bad good news? The two of them will get to hash all of this out at the umpteenth debate in Philadelphia on April 16th (on ABC). Obama has requested also another debate, in North Carolina on April 19th (on CBS); no word from the Clinton camp on that one.

And it appears now that Michigan is settling on a plan to have a do-over primary on June 3 (tentative). As for Florida, one idea being floated around has their delegates being seated, but only getting half a vote each. Probably the best that can be hoped for at this point.

Finally, Sen. Obama got to ride the controversy train this week too, thanks to remarks made by Rev. Jeremiah Wright, a retiring pastor at the megachurch that Obama attends (which has Hannity and the Fox gang in full hypocrisy mode... Hannity being a big defender of the late Jerry Falwell). Obama has responded with the media, and insists in a statement that what Wright says "in no way reflects my attitudes and directly contradicts my profound love for this country" (note: the new pastor seems saner). Personally, I'd ditch the church all together, but I'm an atheist, so what do I know? But you know what, America? This is what you get when you demand that Democratic politicians try and out-Christ their opponents.