Joan, the reason she can't call it a mistake is because it wasn't one ... she knew exactly what she was doing. It was a politically motivated decision to position herself as strong militarily to make up for being a woman. It was very obvious at the time, and it still is, that she will say whatever it takes to become president.

I thought this point in Obama's speech was one of the most interesting and the one that was most memorable to me when I thought about the speech later. I thought he was reminding Americans that we all have people who are close to us - family and friends - who sometimes have views that we find appalling. That doesn't mean that we don't still love those people, especially family. Coming from Boston, I know what it's like to have older relatives with racial views that are not politically correct these days so they would never say them in public, but they say them at home, and I would never "reject and denounce" my relatives for their views, even though I completely disagree with them and often tell them so.

I think it's ironic that Obama is blasted for being "vague" when what appeals to me most about him is that he asks Americans to think in a more complicated way, beyond sound bites. In this case, he is asking us to be able to hold two ideas in our heads - 1. That he is a candidate who is all about transcendence over race, coming together to solve common problems, and 2. That he has a close relationship with a man who holds sometimes radically different views.

I just hope people can do it, because they sure do love those Wright moments on MSNBC.

Joan, I appreciate you and agree with many of your other ideas but I just don't get this stubbornness about the Clintons. I supported President Bill Clinton wholeheartedly, but I recognized the Clintons' cynical racist innuendos for what they were as soon as I saw and heard them. They did this to themselves, and I understand why - they wanted to win. It almost worked, just not quite. They started a little too late. The idea that the Clintons just made "missteps" or "gaffes" during the campaign that were somehow misinterpreted I just don't buy - they are both way too smart for that. The fact that you won't give up this storyline is mind boggling - the very epitome of the self defeating Dems stereotype you mention in one of your response posts.

Apropos this discussion, here's link to a story about how the campaign deliberately plotted to paint Obama as a foreigner. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12420.html

Heather,

Thank you for sharing your story. I am a single mother who is starting to get anxious every time I shop for food. I'm looking at 1/2 gallons of milk for close to $5, bread at $5, meat at $8 and on and on. Just taking care of the basics is getting scary. I am lucky enough to have a family that would never let me go hungry, and I feel grateful for that every day. I know there are many people who do not have that option. I read your article as a reminder to all of us that this economy is going to get worse before it gets better and that there is no limit to the type of people who will suffer - it could happen to anyone, perhaps some of the same people who are on these pages with their usual vitriol. All it takes is losing your job, or getting a serious illness, or even just finding that your paycheck does less and less.

The angry responses here about breeding and making choices, etc., are just so sad. There are so many Americans who have the attitude that we all must fend for ourselves and live with our own circumstances - that none of us has a responsibility to help anyone except ourselves. I tend to think these are the kind of people who will only have a conversion of thought when bad circumstances happen to them - they simply do not have the ability to empathize with others. I find this selfish attitude in our country even more depressing than the fact that many of us could also end up in the soup kitchen.

Bill reminded me why I always loved him so much, and Hillary earned my respect back when I had been swearing I would never vote for her two months ago. They did what they needed to for Obama, and they did what they needed to for Hillary. I will now be happy to vote for her in eight years. The Clintons showed they care enough about the country to do the right thing and put all their formidable talents and influence to work to elect Obama. Now let's hope their supporters do the same.

It was great to see the crowd show Bill so much love, because you know he loves to feel it. Addicted to the love "of the people", maybe?

"Now... there are a lot of women wondering when society is going to wake up to the idea that "separate but equal" is no more acceptable for women than it is for any other group in our society."

Jeb, when you equate the status of white women today with that of blacks during the Jim Crow era, you do we feminists no favors. Your complaints about how Clinton was treated during the primary may have some validity, but you need better analogies.

And then leave the baby at home for months to go on the campaign trail.