Everyone calling for Obama to "get tough" are missing an important point...

I have heard people on talk radio this morning saying Obama should take the gloves off and get tough. In another post on DU someone said he should at least call Hillary on not showing her taxes, etc. I strongly disagree!

We are forgetting that he has been winning, he is still, winning, and all mathematics point out that he will win, but what is the cost so far? He has bloodied and insulted no one.

As unheard of as that is, what is smart about Obama not doing that, is that when he is the nominee, which the numbers say he will be, the Clinton supporters will not have been insulted the way we have been. What a hollow victory she would have without us.

Lets see, according to Clinton we Obama supporters are: delusional, naive, unsafe, cultish, wine drinking elitist, irresponsible youth... oh and thuggish! And I am a 50 year old white female making under 100,000 a year! I shouldn't even exist as an Obama supporter! My husband is so pissed at her, he threatened to not vote if she gets the Nomination! Not the results the Democratic Party needs to beat McCain. You are not beating McCain without us.

Lets not do that to her supporters. It is not needed.
He also has not insulted McCain supporters. He is respectful, yet clear about the choices.

He is winning, and when he does, more people will be able to join the movement for a real change of direction—without the resentment that would be there if he were to do the old school "gloves off" routine.

Watch his speech in San Antonio all the way through, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB38asO7IIA) he is speaking as our President, exactly as he should.


PS- I am not talking about letting nasty rumors spread and grow, he has handled those just fine. I am talking about him trying to "take down" his opponent... better to keep elevating himself.

How you win is how you lead, Bush/Rove/Cheney are perfect examples of that.

to release her tax returns is not GETTING IN THE DIRT. It's him showing that he's transparent and she refuses to be. And given the Clintons past history, there's probably some "there" there.

he marginalizes her, but doesn't insult her. I personally don't care about her taxes, it is anoying and distracting. I think we all had just about enough of investigating Hillary's finances, and unlike her husband Bill, there was NO "there" there. This is not the general election and she is not a Republican.

She is in desperation mode. His numbers are good.

People need to get a grip! Here we are probably the best informed Americans, who KNOW how lame the media is, yet we are falling for the spin. Let us not forget how big a win Hillary was supposed to have in Texas. Not too long ago the media was saying double digits or she is out. They want this to be a tighter race than it really is. According to the rules, the ones that everyone knew about when they decided to run as a Democratic candidate, Obama will take the nomination... unless they hypnotize us all into believing he has already lost and everyone stays home and she takes 70% in ALL remaining states. Or she changes the rules, like challenging the caucus in Texas...if she loses, and other tricks.

Obama is winning and is doing it right.

unless he smacks back hard.

She was supposed to win with bigger numbers. Guess her attacks hurt her. It is all in the spin.

reputation will not suffer no matter what he does

I do think he needs to not alienate her many supporters. He's doing just fine following his own inclinations. Nobody should be panicking and changing directions because of last night's long-expected results.

Obama created a movement with hope and change--and by being an inspirational leader. We
are all impressed with his intelligence, his commitment to the Constitution, his integrity
and honesty. We also love his experience in the Senate and his impressive work as a community
organizer, who truly changed people's lives by empowering others.

It's all wonderful. All of these good things have taken him to where he is now.

However, there are a couple of pieces missing in the Obama puzzle. They're not necessarily
weaknesses. However, these pieces are needed for Obama to complete the picture and seal the deal.
It's the only way he can start landsliding in the remaining states and put this thing to bed.

Americans don't necessarily doubt that Obama is a tough leader or that he can fight special interests
and duke it out for the American people. They just wonder if he can and they NEED to be shown
that he can.

I'm not saying, get in the dirt and start talking scandal and personal attacks. Obama needs to
go after Clinton about legitimate issues and make these points succinctly and with no apologies.
He just needs to show that he is a fighter and someone who has the backbone and the fire to fight
like a dog--for the American people.

He's gotten from point A---->B with everything he's shown us so far. He's got to get from B---->C, and
he's got to demonstrate toughness, tenacity and the ability to take down an opponent--to get to C.

If he "takes down" Hillary, he takes down all the wonderful people that support her. We want those people. He can take down McCain, and both Hillary supporters and Obama supporters can get behind that. I personally know MANY former Hillary supporters who have turned on her because of these macho tactics. We have no idea how many votes she lost because of these tactics. The only "reality" that says it is working for her would be bogus leading questions from pundits who want a fight to report. She is the one doing it wrong. If she had stayed positive, we could all enjoy the media attention on the Democratic platform of ideas. as it is she is feeding the sharks and it will hurt us in the General.

We are SO SO SO beyond the need for that right now. The people feel it. We have a planetary and economic melt down on our hands, and the finger on the button for the next year belongs to an illiterate mad man who is taking the calls at 3:00 am.

Obama is winning the way he is, because of the way he is. I believe that strongly, and all the evidence around me backs it up —the people I talk to, the caucus I went to. To solve the issues we face we need NEW SCHOOL, not old. Watch the young people... they are showing us what they want. It is their planet, it is why we had children, it is why we love them. This is not a game, to quote Hillary.

I AM worried about the voting machines and suspect many of the numbers for both candidates don't accurately reflect the will of the people. I also do not trust the polls because they are often manipulated to change perceptions. I do however believe in the American people's ability to choose a candidate with out the negativity.

In the old days you were not allowed to mention another brand in your commercial. Good idea!

...and I do think that Hillary's negativity is a real turn off for some.

I don't think that Obama should stoop to her level.

However, I do feel that he needs to demonstrate more toughness. He looks weak when he
spends most of his day defending himself against clinton's attacks. He needs to go on
the offense. She's making it look as if she's setting the agenda.

He does have a perception problem with some. Many want to see a bit more backbone out of him.

If you recall, that was rumored to be John Edward's major concern about Obama, that he wasn't
fighting hard enough. He needs to demonstrate that he can fight like hell against Clinton, so
people can put away concerns they have about his ability to fight McCain, the terrorists, special
interests and all of the other pressures that will come down on him in the Oval Office.

I agree with your basic ideas and I applaud you for remaining so above board. I agree that his
integrity and clean campaign is very attractive and a winning strategy.

I just think he needs to bump it up a notch.

I just don't. You may be right. Maybe he could practice on McCain first... ;)

...if his margin of victory shrinks further. His renewed call for Clinton's tax returns is a harbinger.