Defeating the Clintons is just the first step in the struggle against Clintonism -- i.e. Reagan-Bush-Clinton-Bush politics (imperialist, neo-liberal, militarist), tailored to Democratic constituencies. Obama is a Clintonite; the last thing we need on a ticket is someone even more Clintonite than him (for example, a Clinton). If he chooses the Hillary, it will show, even before he is nominated, that Obama is not worthy even of "critical" support. This is not to say, of course, that the Democrats (with Obama) won't still be the lesser evil, compared to the Republicans under McCain. I therefore think you'll find many people hoping Obama wins, but not exactly "supporting" him (and perhaps not even voting for him). The best thing we can hope for from Hillary -- and Bill -- is that we see the backs of them and that they NEVER return to pollute the political culture again,.

As a member of the "chosen" people, I am appalled by Obama's abject obeisance to AIPAC and the rest of the Israel lobby and, of course, to the Israeli political establishment. It's not going to win him many votes. To be sure, many, but hardly all, American Jews are fanatical supporters of that bellicose settler state and its Herrenvolk "democracy." But "Israel firsters" are probably not the majority. The sanctimonious twit Lieberman is hardly typical. Unfortunately, though, Israel firsters are among the Democratic Party's major paymasters. That's why, for a Democrat to state the obvious -- for example, that Israel has installed an Apartheid regime in occupied Palestine -- it helps to be an octogenarian without (further) political ambitions. Needless to say, the servile Obama will avoid Jimmy Carter like the plague, as he continues to pander like a Clinton.

Obviously, the first order of business before Nov. 4 is to defeat the threat of a McCain-Palin victory. But, close behind, is the need to force the center-right (and surging rightward) Obama not to betray the interests of the constituencies he draws on for support any more than he already has (which is to say: quite a lot). It's far from obvious, especially for those of us who live in "safe" Democratic states, that the best way to do this is to pile on the Obama bandwagon. People to the left of George Will who live in "safe" Republican states might reasonably conclude that the best way to make the necessary point is to vote for the Democrat, laying the foundations for a (marginally) better future. People in "swing" states can reasonably succumb to the Great Fear, hold their noses, and vote for Obama. But we who live in "safe" Democratic states have other choices. That's why I'm still "undecided" -- between Cynthia McKinney and Ralph Nader. Since there's little chance that the Greens will ever challenge the Republicrat duopoly, I'll probably vote for Nader -- if only to annoy the "liberals" who are, for a change, setting themselves up, as in 1992, to elect a corporate friendly "humanitarian interventionist." In the end, the only way to mitigate the effects of an Obama victory, and to push him to be as good as he can be (which is to say, not very), we must get to work full-throttle after Nov. 4, if not before.

Among the first orders of business for any administration that purports to be for "change" must be to bring Bush and Cheney and the rest of the leading malefactors of their administration to justice -- for war crimes, crimes against the peace, and crimes against humanity. Let those who were "only following orders" have their Truth and Reconciliation Commission(s). For Cheney and Company, Gitmo (or its functional equivalent, since Gitmo should be closed ASAP and returned to the Cuban people) would be getting off preposterously easy.

Bravo! I would point out that I've been trying to combat Obamamania since long before the first debate. Check out my "Democrats Now" blog at www.lesserevilparty.blogspot.com For the record, I'm proud to say that I never voted for Obama. Living in a "safe" state (Maryland), I voted for Mike Gravel in the primary. Dennis Kucinich had better politics, but Gravel was the only one who would state the obvious: that Clinton and Obama are full of s..it. In the general election, out of habit and to cast a 'protest vote,' I voted for Ralph Nader. I must say though that although I never expected much from Obama, each day brings fresh disappointments. It's not just Afghanistan -- think Wall Street, health care profiteers, dirty energy merchants and, indeed, all the powers that be before whom Obama is servile