. . . what's new? Only Joan Walsh could make a coherent point (Barack Obama needs to appeal to the working class and could learn from John Edwards' message) and manage to do so in such a condescending and superior way that it turns into not only a backhanded compliment but an actual insult as well.

Look, Joan, you hate Obama. We get it. But how about you come off your high horse and join the rest of us down here? Many of us have been trying to reunite, to bring this party back together again. As such a strong Hillary Clinton supporter (yes we know, you deny it and claim you remained neutral, your Irish-Catholic working class roots, blah, blah, blah got it) you could do a great deal in helping mend this party once again.

Here's what we really need from you Joan (and we know you'll never do it): an appeal to Hillary Clinton supporters to stop the sniping, to stop saying they'll vote for John McCain and come home to Barack Obama. In case some of you have missed it there's a small exchange going on between Obama, on the one side, and McCain/Bush on the other.

Since you've already went after Obama supporters ad nauseum Joan, both on here and on television (on shows such as Hardball) as well, you would do us all a great deal of good if you, personally, would issue an appeal to Clinton supporters to unite the Party and come home. Further condescending to Obama, as you did this week, does no good. Please help fix the biggest problem first. A party that needs uniting.

RCP Average 05/07 - 05/15 -- 47.2 43.8 Obama +3.4

Quinnipiac 05/08 - 05/12 1475 RV 47 40 Obama +7.0

ABC News/Wash Post 05/08 - 05/11 1122 A 51 44 Obama +7.0

Link: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html

The RCP Average is as recent as two days ago. Relax. For those who insist on seeing some polls, despite Mr. Shapiro's article explaining to you how meaningless they are, showing Obama winning. There you go.

Sure Carter led Ford by more. But both Bill Clinton and John Kennedy (both of whom were around the same age as Obama) trailed George H.W. Bush and Richard Nixon at this point in the election.

Give it time. Be patient. This is not a bad sign. Given that Obama's not even the nominee yet (as others have pointed out) I'd say it's actually quite encouraging.

As you yourself point out Obama came to West Virginia 3 times almost inside a week. And yet the press chastised him for largely ignoring it. No offense, but based on some of the assumptions we saw including in articles here, "We're not racist, we just don't like black people" well you've got to wonder WHAT exactly if anything it is Obama can do to win these voters back.

Obama has ads up in Kentucky explaining how he worked with KY Senator Jim Bunning (R) to get through the Senate a clean coal act, thus assuaging enviornmentalists and also helping to make sure the coal industry in states like Kentucky (and yes West Virginia) continues to survive thus employing those same people who vote so overwhelmingly against him.

Now I agree Obama has to do more, much more, to honestly earn the votes in Appalachia. He has to work hard, speak to their interests, and not by-pass states. He has to explain how the Democratic Party represents their interests, how his presidency will help them and how the Republicans are actually hurting them.

But they have to give Obama the chance to hear, really hear him. As it stands right now, based on the first-hand observations of young and old Obama supporters, it appears that they seem determined to disqualify him from office simply for being half-black. IF that's the case then, yeah, there's nothing anyone can do about it.