It's been a little amusing watching the media portray Obama as an outsider, even as he has been enjoying a kind of coronation from the keepers of the liberal establishment. In the major media, the pro-Obama prejudice (and a corresponding anti-Clinton, anti-Edwards prejudice) has been glaring. But it's not just the media picking their darling. It's also the Democratic Party's power players. With the exception of Bill Clinton, for obvious reasons, most of the big-name players in the party who have endorsed anyone have backed Obama. That includes Edwards being glaringly snubbed by his old running mate, the party's prior nominee, in favor of Obama. And it includes the Kennedy clan (the closest thing to Democratic aristocracy and the very definition of the party's "establishment") throwing their weight behind Obama.

Love Obama or hate him, there can be no honest question about the fact he's the chosen candidate of both the party's establishment and the media establishment. Just take a look at recent Slate articles. Of the articles with a political slant, what percentage look favorable to Clinton versus Obama? The site is starting to look like a wholly-owned subsidiary of Obama's campaign.

I'm not saying there's anything particularly troubling about this. We citizens should feel free to back whoever we support, and if the establishment thinks Obama would make the best President, then by all means they should support him. But let's not make the mistake of thinking Obama's some sort of dark horse insider. There are powerful forces trying to carry him to the presidency.

It's those powerful powers that mark him as a dark horse insider...when the Republican party voices backing of a Democratic runner, it only say's he carries policies that will continue their agenda!

When Ted Kennedy, who is a drunk, a murderer, and a racist backs Obama...it just means there was an exchange of money, or favors for that backing. The Kennedy days are dead, and when that slob of a man croaks, the Democratic party will only benefit from the loss!! For the right price, anyone could buy old Ted's backing, like strawberry twists at a gas station!

I think the points that Ark lady makes deserve more than just a lunatic response (from sharpchef, who definitely should not be playing with knives). The sense (and reality) that the democractic national committee's attempt to direct if not to control the democratic process before it plays out--is--I think troubling, when one conciders the hypocricy of John Kerry's advocacy of Obama. When, remember, Mr. Kerry was thrust upon us dems SO early last time--and the more electable Gore strongly as strongly could be pushed out. Then, we all know what happened: that very nice Mr. Kerry was swift-boated, and W "won" again.

The last thing that the dems need this time is another person--kind of green to harshness of the process shall we say? who will oh so nicely get close and "lose" again. Believe me, if the dems at large realize--and fight against the attempted Dem Ntl. Committee's EDICT and coronation of Obama, they/we will get a candidate in Clinton who knows fully well the dirtiness and nastiness to expect and will not just simply "nicely" lose, but will fight like hell to 'win'.

So you attack me, why?

What elementary school did you drop out of?

You need a little work on your grammar before you write about subject matter, you clearly have zero understanding of.

Maybe some tutoring on English comprehension as well? Ted Kennedy is a joke...even a democrat knows this, and to say swift-boated without knowing the term is hilarious!!

for someone who uses phrases like "croak" and "die" and what else was it? Calling Kennedy a "racist"...I mean a drunk, I think that's common knowledge, but a "racist'?, you sure seem to have thin-skin, Shapie. What was it, the word lunatic? I used. Okay, I absolutely cannot have it on my conscience if you go and shoot up a McDonalds or something...so I apologize. Are we good now?

I just thought Ark Lady deserved a more even-keeled and thoughtful response than yours'. Sue me. Again, let's remember the last time, when the dem nat comm machine told gore to take a hike and coronated cheerful bostonian Kerry (who was swift-boated. Hey, I didn't make up this now familiar slang-phrase, check wikipedia).

My man at that time, if not Gore, would have been Wesley Clark. I just thought what better way to underscore W's lack of expertese, issue by issue, than to debate a man with a college degree in economics; another college degree in political science; a solider who was shot at a lot, and went on to become general; and so forth. Every time W looked at the camera and said something trite, Clark could have responded with cited knowledge. It would have been something, but the dem nat comm said no, it's Kerry (interestingly in California where I live they were also saying 'no' in mailers to Indian casinos which ignorantly alienated a lot of folk out here who went on to ask correctly, "why are they trying to tell us what to do on this issue?" and approved the casinos.

Obama is something. Do you remember that rabid republican, Bill Bennett. you know, the forma drug zar. You should have heard him durring the South Carolina results on CNN. So, although it wasn't an endorsement per se. it is clear that Obama is touching hearts accross lines. Will this be enough? I think so. I think he will be the next president.

If he does...I'm moving to Canada!

And I'm betting Obama will get Bill Bennetts vote in the general election. Because he is old enough to remember JFK and what that administration did for us. If it wasn't for then there wouldn't be a viable black president now.

white flight sharpchefjeff, or are you brown?

So you attack me, why? poor punctuation usage and sentence structure

What elementary school did you drop out of? ends sentence with a preposition

You need a little work on your grammar before you write about subject matter, you clearly have zero understanding of. superfluous comma, use of the noun "zero" as an adjective, ends sentence with a preposition

Maybe some tutoring on English comprehension as well? Ted Kennedy is a joke...even a democrat knows this, and to say swift-boated without knowing the term is hilarious!! sentence fragment, misuse of ellipsis, superfluous comma, double exclamation point

I will not be voting for Obama.

I'm black, and I don't have any trust in him at all. I'm also a democrat.

I think the english teacher here, might have dated a student, and needs to get a life!

What scares me most is hearing people saying, “What does Obama stand for?”. These are the same folk who watch a snapshot of a stomp speech and beg for specifics. All of the candidates have websites. Take the time to read what they plan on doing. Let me help you: (www.johnedwards.com; www.hillaryclinton.com; www.barackobama.com; )

As an African American, I am not afraid of Obama, nor am I afraid of Clinton. Here's why I no longer supporter of the Clinton's and would have voted for either John Edwards or Obama.

Let's examine the legacy of the Clinton’s (since both are running). Monica Lewinsky! Remember that. It destroyed the Democratic Party. How? It gave birth to George W. Bush (the worst president of my lifetime); for 8 years he ran the country in the ground). I say this as a former supporter of the Clinton's. (until 2005). Ask Clinton why he did it. His response, (read the record)

"I DID IT BECAUSE I COULD." It’s like asking a kid why he or she hit someone, and you hear the “I Don’t Know” response.

(<link>). It cost Clinton his name and put his marriage on the rocks; what did it cost the nation and the world? 1) Iraq; 2) a large deficit, 3) the Katrina debacle, 4) Dafur/Kenya, 5) The Senate 6) The Supreme Court...the list goes on. We need a change!

There is no distortion here, complete and factual. The sad thing is no one wants to talk about the repercussions of the Clinton's behavior in the White House, on the nation and world.

"It cost Clinton his name and put his marriage on the rocks; what did it cost the nation and the world? 1) Iraq; 2) a large deficit, 3) the Katrina debacle, 4) Dafur/Kenya, 5) The Senate 6) The Supreme Court...the list goes on. We need a change!"

Mr.Eldridge,

Sir. I don't, can't, or will I even attempt to try to understand your reasoning here. Clinton had a hand in Katrina? Clinton was not even the President at the time, sir.

"Let's examine the legacy of the Clinton’s (since both are running). Monica Lewinsky! Remember that. It destroyed the Democratic Party. How? It gave birth to George W. Bush (the worst president of my lifetime); for 8 years he ran the country in the ground). I say this as a former supporter of the Clinton's. (until 2005). Ask Clinton why he did it. His response, (read the record)"

With all due respect, sir. Did you forget about the strange election results, that till makes America question the very ethics involved with ballot tallying?

"There is no distortion here, complete and factual. The sad thing is no one wants to talk about the repercussions of the Clinton's behavior in the White House, on the nation and world."

A question, sir. These facts you claim to be factual, are distorted, but you can not see this. Why?

Mr. Eldridge seems blithely unaware of the fact that Hillary Clinton is running for president, not Bill. Does he really fear she will disgrace the nation and subjugate the Democratic party by having oral sex performed on her by an intern?

(don't answer that)

Video tape that one, and lets become gazillionairs!

Wait...are we talking about a male intern, or a female intern here? Oh, what does it matter. Maybe they will have an orgiastic turbocharged party in the Oral office. Did I just call the Oval office, Oral? Oops!