I was in her hospitality room at the DNC winter meeting and asked her to sign a tiny Young Democrat tee shirt for my grandson who was born while his father was in Iraq.

All the other Dem. candidates had signed, and been gracious and engaging. I was with a military-focused non-profit advocacy group, and they were all willing to have intense meaningful dialogue with us.

When it came to Hillary, however, she nearly marched over me rather than sign the shirt, and pretended not to notice my request until others became insistent on my behalf. She signed, obviously in great pain at having to do so. She made no eye contact with me. She made no comment. At that moment, I knew that Hillary has no empathy. I wasn't a howling military mom, I am an articulate and intelligent advocate in perhaps the greatest unneccesary hardship in our entire history.

I'm not buying her tears. If they were real, she would have been able to look me in the eye and say simply..."thank your son for his service", even if she didn't want to say she would do her best to get him home.

I just got an email with a video shot by a McCain "tracker" at a New Hampshire event. In it he is asked about being in Iraq for the next fifty years. His answer: "Maybe 100...and that would be fine with me."

https://www.democrats.org/page/contribute/100years

"I wanted to get across to her that black critical thinkers often face an extra step in the writing process -- we have to separate what we think from what our comrades of color expect us to believe, presume we believe, or would rather we didn't discuss in racially mixed company, in public, or at all."

...Who among us who sits down to write critically doesn't have to edit in the context of the audience, or fear that we will do that editing against our own thoughts, and consider the weight of those who are theoretically with us, as opposed to those who are 'agin us? Who doesn't have to hold true to critical thought when a larger segment, black, white, purple or Bible thumpers are waiting to quash any thought that doesn't conform to their own.

Sorry James Hannaham, you don't have a monopoly on knowing that some of "your people" might not agree with your critical thoughts. I often differ dramatically from the accepted truths of "my people". These are not racial issues. These are the bigger issues of a rabidly agressive base of ALL people who take the simplistic approach to all their thought.

Dare I say it...they only think in black and white.

The sooner intellectuals stop varnishing every issue with a dark tint before they analyze it, the sooner we will achieve the dreams of people like Dr. King. Where race is not the defining or dividing factor in every single thought and act.

in his belief that he doesn't report the news, he creates it out of whole cloth. Or scraps. Or imaginary scraps.

Chris Matthews...king maker.

It's a not-so-secret secret that the network giants have each chosen "their guy", and each is busy distorting the news to influence the election outcome in favor of "their guy".

Or maybe he's not so deluded. If people don't believe what you want them to...say they do anyway, and remarkably, they will. Public Opinion and Propaganda 101. Chris obviously took the class in communications school.

He is a "candidate". And that's why he could win in America. "Black candidates" like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson will not, and should not ever win in America.

Obama is bridging the divide by making it a non-issue. As opposed to the one-act antics of the previous racially opportunistic reverends whose focus was and is controversy and dissention. Why face social facts that can be addressed to make positive differences when there is a Tawanda Brawley around for easy headlines and little required to keep your own face on CNN? When is the last time you heard either of those men talk about teen pregnancy or black on black violence? Never? Not when there is a fleeting but incendiary incident where they can insert themselves. Michael Jackson says he is getting a raw deal from Sony....Al Sharpton to the rescue!!!

Obama is a statesman who will go after issues...not racially charged sound bites. And white folks know that. Sadly, it makes him unappealing to some black folks who refuse to think there is a percentage in returning race relations to a state of dignity.

Let the gender and race free election begin. Because this one isn't about either of those things.

Alex Koppelman isn't nearly the smartass you are.

And....Politico?????? Geez.

as by his effort to paint Hillary in a class of her own. Mitt Romney's kids campaigned ruthlessly, and exclusively. The only candidates whose kids aren't/weren't out stumping for their parents are those who don't respect them...ala Rudy Giuliani.

Even as Dick Cheney disparaged the lifestyle choice of his daughter, he trotted her out to beat the bushes (heh) for himself and W. On the payroll, no less.

To make snarky comments exclusively in the direction of one candidate for the behavior of all and any reasonable other candidates is dishonest commentary.

To top it off with a "pimping" reference, well, that's a character issue on his part. That makes him in inarticulate ass. He should be judged professionally for it. But his misguided and misleading motivations in pointing out the issue at all says far more to me. I find that snake-in-the-tree commentary far more offensive.