I do appreciate your writing your thoughts on this contest. Still, I'd like to hear what you think about some of Obama's points?

#1 What possible good would bringing insurance companies to the table be? I can't think of anything they'd do that actually be a good solution, but I'd be open to hearing of one.

#2 What is the real benefit of crossing the aisle to work with republicans these days? They are not offering sensible solutions, but are in fact working to make things far worse. Until they come to their senses, compromising with them only leads to bad, or at best, mixed solutions, solutions that would be better without the republicans.

#3 Obama criticizes Clinton and Edwards about their proposed mandates for health insurance. I have mixed feelings about that myself, but I think Paul Krugman is right that there is no other way, not having everyone covered makes coverage more expensive for everyone.

#4 Obama has a tendency to repeat certain very damaging republican talking points. For instance on Social Security (I've heard, but not seen definite confirmation that he no longer thinks this), if he's going to speak up about something, it'd sure be good if he had is information straight BEFORE doing the Lieberman wing of the Neocon party any favors by echoing their crap. Making it worse, his book, "The Audacity of Hope" clearly seems to show that he knew before making these comments that Social Security is not in crisis, rather it's Medicare and Medicaid, yet he still attacks other democrats with republican talking points to make himself seem more bipartisan (that's the only reason I can think of for him to basically state what he knows to be a lie). I also think his snarky comment about trial lawyers towards Edwards is also more Republican talking points. Edwards took on corporate American on some pretty crappy things and won, I think that speaks well for Mr. Edwards. It's certainly not something another democrat should be using as a smear! There are other examples of this by Mr. Obama, but these are a couple I especially find troubling, and in my mind put the lie to him being some sort of new politician.

I wish all the democrats would remember who the real enemy is, it's not each other, it's the republicans and their MSM enablers. Some of what democrats are doing IS crappy, but I don't think any of them would ever INITIATE these things, they're forced by a dishonest media and even more dishonest republican establishment into making bad votes (it still doesn't let them off the hook, but I feel comfortable that they'd not do these things left to their own devices, as they would be with a democrat for president and strongly democratic congress).

I realize, Delores, that you aren't obligated to answer my comments, but you seem to be taking a strong position for Obama, and I was wondering if you had any answers about the above. That's the thing I'm not seeing from the Obama fans, head-on responses to these things.

And please don't think I'm being a big cheerleader for Edwards or Clinton because I have these questions, but i do think there has been a more substantive response (if only slightly) from their partisans than I'm seeing from the Obama camp. Since it's very likely that one of these 3 will get the democratic nod, it's worth it to me to get these answers.

Sorry this is getting long, but one other thing I'd like to say generally about Salon, I wish they'd give more time to Chris Dodd, because I appreciate his efforts to stop the Telecom immunity juggernaut. I'm leaning toward voting for him for that reason alone. Call it a protest vote in the primary, assuming he's still in the running by the time California's primary comes around.

--Ron Robertson

Sorry to misspell your name! I should have checked back instead of relying on another poster's commentary and spelling that was handy.

--Ron

The writer just before you wasn't suggesting that treatment is bad. He's saying what about Obama himself. He did the things he's wanting these people treated for, yet apparently Obama never was treated. That could be taken as hypocritical. Of course, the whole friggin' "war on drugs" is nothing but inanity and hypocrisy.

--Ron

You, like Rosenthal are missing the point (in the case of Rosenthal, it's likely on purpose, I don't know about you). No ones is protesting having an opposing point of view, they oppose having a complete LIAR get such a national platform. And, I personally am tired of this "look, over there!" method of skirting the points made by the protesters here and elsewhere (i.e., claiming that we "fear" an opposing point of view). We don't fear what he has to say, we're disgusted. They're not the same thing. So, learn to quit projecting nonsense on the protesters, and answer the points.

--Ron Robertson

Excellent point about even the need for treatment. I'd vaguely thought that, but it's good to have crystalized so well as you have done. I'd also never thought about that 13-year difference in amendments quite that way. I appreciate your effective and thoughtful commentary.

--Ron