What if she is actually moved by the you-go-girl enthusiasm she encounters hand-shaking her way along all the rope lines?

Then she is far more narcissistic than I'd imagined. If her passion for doing what's best for the country was authentic she'd be thinking about more than if she "is actually moved".

What if she looks at the electoral map and broods about Obama's potential difficulties in November in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida (all states that Clinton carried in the primaries)?

Then she is delusional. The people who voted for her were Democrats. The people who voted for Obama, every last one of them was a Democrat. Democrats, the VAST majority of the them, will vote Democratic come November. To ignore this is one of the most foolish--in a year with more than a season's worth of foolish--tricks played by the pundits.

We're voting apples and apples right now. The apples and oranges contest begins whenever Clinton steps down. At that point you'll see all them apple-lovers choose apples. (apples, of course meaning Democrats in this fun little metaphor).

Barack Obama won the votes of only 22 percent of white Democrats

Yes and 4 years ago 32% of white Democrats voted for George Bush. They won't be voting for Hillary either when offered an orange.

I'll end the bad metaphor if Shapiro stops playing these ridiculous games along with the campaign he's embedded with.

Deal?

I enjoyed Bayard's article, and I agree that it was great to see David Cook win. He was the only one who held my interest (at least until Sayeesha found her theater legs and killed the last few weeks she was around (we'll see her on Broadway, no doubt).

But, I was telling my kids on Tuesday to vote for Archuletta. Why? Because aside from the fact that DA is a true singer (rather than rock vocalist), and more along the lines of what Idol's after (see Simon Cowell's projects or Clive Davis' recent work), David Cook would have far more creative input on his next few albums if he'd been runner-up.

DC's rock bona fides don't work nearly as well in the pre-packaged world that awaits The American Idol. I would love to have had a chance to see where he went had he finished 2nd or 3rd (a la Chris Daughtry).

Hopefully, the danger and longing that he injected into much of his work this season will not be watered down for the masses. Please, please, please!

It was an unfortunate choice of words, no doubt. It's highly likely that she intended nothing malicious by referencing RFK's assassination, but--let's be real, shall we?--she's ostensibly interviewing for the position of Leader of the Free World! An absence of malice does not excuse someone in her position for misspeaking in such an overtly offensive manner.

It's a striking example of exactly why she's not the best candidate this time around.

The uproar about this statement is right on the money. I come to this realization only after listening to a Friday full of punditry and then K.O's over-the-top special comment; all of which I thought was over-reaction, as I had heard the quote in most of the context--obviously she was using it as a chronological reference. But, then my wife came home and despite the fact that she is reliably non-plussed by any of the primary spin and drone that has gone on for almost a year, and has just as reliably distanced herself from all of the speculation as to motive and political posturing of either Obama or Clinton, she watched the video of the interview and was INCENSED! I've never seen her react so intensely to anything like this.

This is ground an American leader does not trod. It should be the end of her road. And, it should also be the end of her presidential aspirations. This is her Hymie-town; this is her Donna Rice.

C'mon, Joan.

"kiss my ass, Barack!", is a direct quote from Terry McAuliffe on tonight's Daily Show! This has to make the headlines tomorrow. Sure he probably thought it was a joke, that he was makin' a funny on the Daily Show.

But, this was a senior member of the Clinton team telling their rival Democrat to "kiss my ass" on national television.

There's just no way that that's good for Clinton...

Your piece today is so very welcome! I can't imagine a better Baedeker, as Walter Shapiro would say [hey, Walt--'guidebook' works just fine!), for the Democratic party in the coming weeks and months than what you've laid out here.

Of course as the letters show, one must truly cease to battle before the sound advice can penetrate.

Breathe everyone: in; hold it... and out. Good. repeat as necessary.

As if I needed another reason to adore 'How The World Works'; Andrew, you nailed it!

I now live in Portland, OR, but I got my micro-love in the late 80's in Spokane, WA and Moscow, ID with Hale's Pale Ale. Moved to Boston and Sam Adams did the trick until Boston Beer Works opened up across the street from Fenway. Brew Moon opened soon after near the theater district. By the time I got to PDX in the late 90's it was just assumed that local beer was the best beer. It is.

That said, as a native Pacific North Westerner, I always had a soft-spot for Rainier Beer and Henry Weinhardt's, and watching them get swallowed up by the mid-western US mega-brewers left an even more bitter aftertaste. Finally, A-B shareholders may reap what they have sown. Good riddance!

you nailed it King. Thanks, too for all the killer posts in the comment thread.

Pity capitalism isn't democratic...yet!