What the pundits did not understand was the candidate.

While they kept saying he couldn't put the primary away blah blah, what they failed to see was that Obama already knew he got the nomination. He was too busy setting up for the general that he gave Hillary uncontested several states.

And, they failed to see why he could not put it away in the general until recently.

They were so focused on his skin color that the obvious slipped away.

This is a young man who was new. He seemed smart and capapble but, the people were not sure he was ready and with the way things were it was up in the air with the voters.

They waited till the debates to see what he had.

He passed the test. The voters presidential test and answered their question. he was ready.

That is why he couldn't put it away right away.

But, the pundits never saw that.

You asked some of the things I've wondered about. Like how it feels to see your own brother being someone who is so important in America and the world.

I really wish Obama's mother was still alive to see this for her son. I do hope his grandmother lives to see him be elected.

Obama's sister is such an interesting and warm person. You can see it and feel it through the pages. She must be such a wonderful human being to know in life.

i think Ann Dunham gave life to and raised two very special people and we are richer for them.

Obama's sister mentioned something about civility and I see it is taking root. With the nastiness in this election, the people are rejecting it. They are wanting more civility and what Obama offers. They want something better and higher.

And even being smart is now something good instead of put down like in the past.

I hope his sister sees how much her brother is already making changes and affecting politics and people's thinking.

I don't think McCain realized the reason he won the primary was because he was seen as a moderate, different from Bush and the old Maverick McCain.

Instead McCain let the far rightwing drive his campaign and he got so caught up in pandering to them he basically let himself run an 04 style campaign.

It's not surprising that to please the bulk of his party he has to move far to the right. the party has been taken over by the extremist rightwing and are now purging their party of any moderates, intellectuals or anyone not worshiping at the feet of Palin and her far rightwing ideology.

Ironically, If McCain was not the nominee he would be one of those being thrown out.

Word is that a civil war is brewing in the republican party between those on the s*** list and being thrown out and the ignorant, far right, religious extremist wing.

What Bush and Rove did beside bring swiftboat politics, stolen elections, and all the other hell of the past 8 years is they brought along an opening for the extremists and a shutting down of the business, culturally moderate, intellectual and realistic wings.

Funny how the rightwing writers say that Obama will make our country weaker when it has been their ideas and their policies that has destroyed the nation.

But, they would never admit it.

I find the progressive conservative thing interesting. It means that some on the right are toying with 'progressive' when it's largely democratic.

And Teddy Roosevelt was more like the democrats today then republican. The republican party was a far different party a century ago. They were the progressive party then. Democrats were more conservative. Teddy's cousin, FDR turned the party alignment upside down.

What the republicans need to do is return to the party of realistic and pragmatic ways of Eisenhower.

But, they have a civil war to fight for who will be in control If the extremist rightwing and those like palin win, it will be a broken party for a very long time and one that most average people will not want to be voting for.

The whining about people who worked for Clinton is so stupid. His was the only democratic administration in the past 30 years. Find anyone who is not a bumbling rookie and a democrat and they will most likely have worked for Clinton at one time or another.

Even David Axelrod worked for Clinton in his 1996 campaign.

Only about 10 democrats have not worked for Clinton back then.

There are no pure players who are not rookies. But, I do recall that Jimmy Carter had all outsiders - how'd that work out???

To say they are this or that is kind of presumptive. these people have not even gotten into office yet so, how would the writer know how they will perform? Maybe people need to let Obama be sworn in and actually have him and his team do some things before breaking out the hankies.

No one knows how they will perform. No one knows if they are brains trust or not very good.

Most of these people worked for Clinton a decade ago and Obama is now the boss and sets the agenda. Not the employees.

it's far too early to whine.

And if the writer demands total purity of not ever working for Clinton even in the mail room then, I think he will spend the next 4 years hitting his head against the wall.