HealThisNation, I wasn't going to jump in here, but I have to. You're pretty close to right. It's not that I think Obama has to lose, that Obama IS Stevenson or McGovern, but I do think there are reasons to worry about that. I think it's early enough for him to reach out and widen his coalition. What worries me are his supporters who say he either doesn't have to -- yay, creative class! yay, elites! -- or that he can't, because of racism.

Truly, on the last point: I wouldn't be in this line of work if I thought America would never elect a black president. I don't know what I'd do instead, I've never thought about it. I know racism is a problem; I think we can overcome. I think there are some racists who'll never support Obama, and I admit: We don't know how many. But I also think there are some cultural issues around his campaign, and the way he's campaigned, that mean he is missing an opportunity to reach out to voters who wouldn't reject him because of race, but who are still skeptical. I also worry about another contradiction in pro-Obama arguments: For a long time, he was more electable than Hillary because he was this post-ideological, post-racial candidate who'd appeal to all groups, even independents and Republicans. Now, some say he's being really severely harmed (maybe 50 percent of Kentucky voters won't back him? all of West Virginia?) by white racism. If white racism is that pervasive, then it's tragic and despicable, but then clearly Obama is not an electable candidate in 2008. So which is it? I feel like my optimism about Obama's ability to overcome at least some, and maybe most, of the cultural skepticism about him in Appalachia and elsewhere, makes me a better Obama supporter than the people here who are insisting it's all racism. Does that make any sense?

In terms of my family: My father supported Eugene McCarthy. I still have his "McCarthy/Lowenstein" button. But when McCarthy refused to campaign for Humphrey after the nomination, he mailed him a Nixon pin and said: Glad your candidate won! My father didn't like Humphrey on the war but thought he'd been decent on other issues and was better than Nixon. My father, of course, was right. I do get that pragmatic streak from him. I was just turning 10 the summer of 1968 and I remember it better than some things that happened last year. It was formative. Make of that what you will.

I really appreciate your trying to fairly grasp with my motivations rather than calling me racist, a liar, a Republican, or just a dried up old Hillary hag, like too many alleged Obama supporters have in these threads.

weeping and I rarely agree (not never, but rarely) but...wow. What great letters. Thank you, everyone.

Thanks, as always, doloresflower.

Thanks, weeping, I really appreciate your comments, and I will try to be more fiery and less PA in the future. Seriously. I have learned from you and Carol Richards and others that what I think are my ways to telegraph genuine support for Obama (not certain alleged supporters!) and concern for his campaign don't come across the way I intend. I also have to say that you lost me a while back when you defended GThrasher after he eviscerated Obama for being insufficiently black when Obama distanced himself from narcissist hate-monger Jeremiah Wright. But hell, I've defended GThrasher myself; you learn the hard way. There are a few people in these threads who will hurt Obama more than Hillary Clinton ever could, and it's becoming clear who they are.

The people who are suggesting that I had anything to do with the admittedly unusual outpouring of support for my Hardball remarks are likewise only alleged Obama supporters. It's despicable to accuse me of either ginning up such letters or forging them, but I'm getting used to despicable charges (as well as being called shrill, a shrew, and old. Nice words from Democrats about a Democrat in the Democratic primary. Whatever). I've gotten hundreds of letters to my private email as well, and an alarming number are suggesting they won't vote for Obama in November. I have every faith that won't happen, and the Democrats will come together, but...today has shaken my faith a little. What certain alleged Obama supporters have done with Clinton's RFK remarks is just an awful thing for Democrats to do to a Democrat, and it's not going over well. Alleged Obama supporters can try to explain away the (relative) outpouring of positive mail by trashing me for fabricating it. I'm sure it's comforting, but it isn't true, and it's feeding the (relative) backlash.

lateagain, with all due respect, and you're due a lot: Did you watch Hardball? Are you really accusing me of ginning up this controversy five days late? The whole freaking show was all about Hillary's RFK remarks, the opening segment featured 3 journalists, plus Chris, debating which circle of hell she deserved to dwell in for her remarks. Please. I'm actually proud of what I did today. It was tough, going up against that unanimity on MSNBC. Listening to the drumbeat of the opening segment, I regretted saying yes, it was so stacked against me, but I'm glad I did it. But don't blame me for this mess. Jesus.

Oh, and now weeping is just a slug, enabling white racism. Hate run amok.