Reply #3: Obama's threat to Hillary [View All]

is more than just himself. The very presence of a charisma challenge is a big threat to the frontrunner momentum and blooming flower of Hilary's presentation. it will make her fall short and not just vulnerable to Obama. So it is not just perosnal, it is desperately tactical on both sides. Obama makes her vulnerable to Gore and Edwards and the GOP. Her negatives need to be swamped and overcome. This is dragging that baggage into a possible quagmire of primary discontent. Unfortunately, one sure sign that is happening already is the descent into rough politics so early. Why not let Obama go his own course? Because he is doing damage to Hillary's long range camapign.

edwards was hurting kerry the same way when by the numbers in actual primaries it was pretty clear there was no chance except that Edwards would simply cost Kerry and the party. So he stepped aisde eventually.
This early however there is no question of Obama backing down and the same rash of early primaries that would quickly seal Hillary as the candidate before the people knew what hit them encourages him stay in for a large number of states and build his status at least. His gambit will leave him little or no time to decide whether backing out is even and option as his followers would consider calculations in the midst of quick, large voting, a betrayal. The frustrations in both camps must be mounting, to the joy and benefit of any others in the wings. Hillary is used to the long grind but this time it is not all on her side.

As to dirty politics, fodder for the GOP spin media, Dems should not participate except to knock the candidates on their heads for the useless gamble and waste. Hurting your opponent here, where it will NOT finish them off, no election in sight, is hurting yourself, courtesy of an attentive press. All such petty small potatoes compared to hitting and exposing the stuffed lame duck and his ventriloquist in the WH.