Please. It's okay for Obama to lie about Hillary and be rude to her (see New Hampshire debate) and not worry about offending us, the women, but Bill Clinton can't criticize him without worrying about offending blacks? I'm a woman and I am very offended by Obama's comment that Sen. Clinton is okay he guessed and by the lies he and Edwards told. So if he gets to play the race card Clinton gets to play the gender card and Edwards gets to play the angry white man card. Meanwhile the MSM and the Republicans laugh all the way to the Boardroom and the White House. It's just Clinton and Edwards they hate now, the populists. Oh wait the MSM and the Republicans love Obama--for now. Grow up Democrats and remember who the enemy is. It's not Clinton; it's not Edwards; and it's not Obama. It's Chris Matthews and his ilk. They hate women, blacks, and populists and will destroy them whenever possible. It is mind numbingly stupid to help them.

Linda

Well, they can and should go to the NYTimes Opinion page long enough to read the incomparable Paul Krugman.

Linda

He is one ruthless puppy. Willing to do anything to win. Take a look at this excerpt from a story from the Chicago Tribune:

(newser) – Barack Obama showed his acumen for sharp-elbowed politics early on, according to a report in the Tribune. The 2008 hopeful, famous for his affable and earnest optimism, launched his career in an old-fashioned Chicagoan way, by pushing a former political mentor off a ballot, He won "not by leveling the playing field, but by clearing it," the report says. • Alice Palmer, a South-Side Democrat, appointed Obama heir apparent to her state senate seat; when the two found themselves seeking the same nomination, Obama challenged her signatures, successfully purging her, and three other competitors, from the ballot. Remembering the incident, Obama is elegantly evasive: " If you can win, you should win and get to work doing the people's business." NOTE THIS LAST LINE.

Fresh from his work as a civil rights lawyer and head of a voter registration project that expanded access to the ballot box, Obama launched his first campaign for the Illinois Senate saying he wanted to empower disenfranchised citizens.

But in that initial bid for political office, Obama quickly mastered the bare-knuckle arts of Chicago electoral politics. His overwhelming legal onslaught signaled his impatience to gain office, even if that meant elbowing aside an elder stateswoman like Palmer.

A close examination of Obama's first campaign clouds the image he has cultivated throughout his political career: The man now running for president on a message of giving a voice to the voiceless first entered public office not by leveling the playing field, but by clearing it.

One of the candidates he eliminated, long-shot contender Gha-is Askia, now says that Obama's petition challenges belied his image as a champion of the little guy and crusader for voter rights.

"Why say you're for a new tomorrow, then do old-style Chicago politics to remove legitimate candidates?" Askia said. "He talks about honor and democracy, but what honor is there in getting rid of every other candidate so you can run scot-free? Why not let the people decide?"

I don't mind the ruthlessness (any Democrat will need it), just the holier than thou cover-up.

Linda

This is just Obama playing hardball, Chicago politics like he always has. Read this story from the Chicago Tribune. Obama is a pol just like any pol, just as ruthless and better than most.

(newser) – Barack Obama showed his acumen for sharp-elbowed politics early on, according to a report in the Tribune. The 2008 hopeful, famous for his affable and earnest optimism, launched his career in an old-fashioned Chicagoan way, by pushing a former political mentor off a ballot, He won "not by leveling the playing field, but by clearing it," the report says. • Alice Palmer, a South-Side Democrat, appointed Obama heir apparent to her state senate seat; when the two found themselves seeking the same nomination, Obama challenged her signatures, successfully purging her, and three other competitors, from the ballot. Remembering the incident, Obama is elegantly evasive: " If you can win, you should win and get to work doing the people's business."

And read Paul Krugman's piece in the NYTimes about the 3 Democratic stimulus packages. Edwards and Clinton have the most progressive and most supportive of poor and middle-class plans and Obama has the most conservative. That's why the Republicans like him, why he appeals for their votes, and why they are tying to force him down the Democrats throats by voting in Democratic primaries and caucuses.

Linda

Hardball, ruthless, and anything but idealistic. You could have mentioned his opening shots for a balanced portrait.

(newser) – Barack Obama showed his acumen for sharp-elbowed politics early on, according to a report in the Tribune. The 2008 hopeful, famous for his affable and earnest optimism, launched his career in an old-fashioned Chicagoan way, by pushing a former political mentor off a ballot, He won "not by leveling the playing field, but by clearing it," the report says. • Alice Palmer, a South-Side Democrat, appointed Obama heir apparent to her state senate seat; when the two found themselves seeking the same nomination, Obama challenged her signatures, successfully purging her, and three other competitors, from the ballot. Remembering the incident, Obama is elegantly evasive: " If you can win, you should win and get to work doing the people's business."