The Republicans are already mounting an effort to Willie Horton Obama.

So now the Democrats are going to be faced with another one of those terrible choices:

Should we give in to their fear mongering and try to outdo them at mongering fear -- the typical Bill Clinton-GrayDavis path to office.

Or should we fight back and show some real moral leadership on the issue?

I mean how many more people CAN we fit in prison? Right now we're incarcerating one out of every 72 Americans.

In California we have to lay off teachers to pay prison guards.

During a recession, the states won't have enough money to educate AND incarcerate, unless they learn to be creative about it.

One solution would be to combine the school system with the prison system so the black and brown kids can graduate straight into prison from high school.

It's time for Democrats to make a choice:

Either refuse to give in to Willie Horton tactics this time, or start planning to combine the correctional system with the educational system for poor people and people of color.

I know you only tend to care about incarceration in Salon when accused terrorists are the prisoners. But you can't ignore this problem for much longer. The Republicans are getting ready to cram it right down your throats.

Let's see. Obama won the nomination on Tuesday night.

Let's see. Today is Sunday. Will she really, clearly concede, or is this just another pity party demanding seventeen more months of shots with the boys, tight pantsuits and menopausal maniac behavaior.

It's over, Hellary. Go home. Oh. And NO. We don't want you for VP either.

Joan, so you were in NY for Hillary's speech on Tuesday. I was in St. Paul for Barack's speech. My condolences to you I got to hear a much better speech. Barack is truly awesome in person. The crowd was really pumped to hear him speak. Someone who can inspire all of us to be better than we are today. Someone who knows how to run a winning campaign. Someone who can restore the legacy of America in the eyes of the world.

Today, on Saturday, Hillary finally got around to giving her concession speech. It was brilliant, she has really improved as a public speaker. The only problem I had with the speech is it was given too late. She should have dropped out after Indiana. She hasn't helped the Democratic party or the causes that she stands for with her dragging this out. After 22 debates most people find it hard to find substantive differences on the major issues between the candidates. So aside from spending a lot of money on a vanity campaign what did she accomplish? The people who disagree with Hillary and her supporters were very grateful to her for the last few months of distraction.

No other politician has been given as much slack as Clinton has received with her campaign. The pundits knew that. When she was the presumptive nominee they all gave her a lot of respect. But when a smart politician starts acting stupid, it is hard for professional pundits to take her seriously. Her continuing the campaign weakened the eventual nominee and has hurt her and her followers.

Yes We Can! I sure hope so. But I'm worried that Senator Clinton has made it a lot harder than it had to be.

suzisrealtor: "Barak doesn't have as good a chance against McCain, because of his wife Michelle. She is totally obnoxious...Can you see her parading around the White House in her blue jeans?"

I have to agree with the first person who responded to you. It makes no sense for you to go on and on about sexism against Hillary, and then start dissing on Michelle Obama for no reason except your opinion that she's "obnoxious." As for blue jeans, what? A woman can't wear jeans in some situations now? (I seem to recall Nancy Reagan wearing a lot of designer jeans....how obnoxious.)

Just want to ask what it would look like if Hilary got elected and was to meet with Putin and she walks into the room and pulls out her cue cards to read her statements to him. Wouldn't that look presidential! She can't even say thank-you without cue cards!! And it's embarrassing to finely have a woman run and get this close and hear her whining about it's all about her being a woman. She can't be in the playing field as an equal without constantly playing the gender card. How unfortunate for all us women who had survived in the "men's world" in business etc trying to just be a peer and have a female candidate not able to do the same!!!

I wanted to post last night when I watched your video, but either the letters-section was on the blink or I just couldn't find it. Anyway, I'm grateful for your comments. They are much appreciated.

Like Ancient Assyrian, I just watched Clinton's concession speech and thought she did a very good job. I think she was right not to gloss over the disappointment of her followers. It allowed her to build a bridge helping them to cross over to Obama's camp. I appreciate her efforts. And I appreciate yours. Again, thanks.

Saturday, 1:30 p.m. Eastern -- I just watched Hillary's concession speech at the Building Museum.

I found it a decent, classy, politically savvy speech, and I don't think Barack Obama could ask for any more.

And as a woman, and mother of a daughter, I truly appreciated her comments about women -- and in particular, the discussion of how her candidacy has made a woman's bid for the presidency unremarkable in the future. This is an amazing contribution to history, and to women's progress, and she should be remembered forever for this contribution.

Her use of Obama's "Yes, We Can" was, to me, the symbolic high point of her speech, and the sign that she truly does have the best interests of the country and the Democratic party in mind.

It was a historic moment, capping a historic race, and I look forward to Hillary focusing her intelligence, power and tenacity toward helping ensure a Democratic presidency in November.

I also hope that Hillary's supporters are encouraged and inspired by her speech. As Hillary said, there is too much at stake now for us to suffer through another Republican administration.

I am also encouraged to see Joan support Obama here in her video, and also the other day on Joe Scarborough's MSNBC show. Thank you, Joan. Carol Richards predicted that you'd come around -- and as you know (I'm not exactly a fading flower) I had serious doubts -- but Carol was right.

So Joan, I also look forward to you focusing your intelligence, power and tenacity -- and the tremendous power of your Salon pulpit and MSNBC appearances -- toward helping ensure that Obama wins the presidency in November.