Teddy Kennedy, John Kerry, Bill Bradley...

The most liberal senators are lining up behind the most liberal candidate. How does this transcend the usual politics?

These elder statesmen probably remember a time when Democrats did not hate Republicans, and vice versa. A time when they got things done, relatively speaking.

I wouldn't say Obama transcends the usual politics. It's just that 30-40% of the country isn't programmed to hate him like they do Hillary and Bill Clinton.

Thus he can get a lot of independent voters---who tend to vote for the least hated candidate.

As an independent voter I could care less about a candidate's popularity. I want to know what the candidate will do and how she/he plans to achieve their objective. In an election cycle well over a year old we have heard almost nothing from any candidate of any substance. The present primary system offers no reason for a candidate to say anything of substance for fear of winning Iowa now but losing Ohio later. I would rather see a one day primary nation wide, take away influence from party dogma, force candidates to be specific, formulate plans, layout agendas and let people decide. It would piss off the media and all the people employed to lie to us(oops spin us) but government might be better for it. The other reason is it could be set up with specific spending limits so we stop forcing candidates to beg with a bowl and be beholden to the influence of the people that buy them.