"There's an old saying in Tennessee. I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee, that says: 'Fool me once... shame on... [pause] Shame on you... [pause] If fooled, you can't get fooled again.'"

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This is part of a comment I made this morning on yesterday's post; at the risk of being gauche, I feel compelled to drag this bit out from the tail end of a 50ish-page thread:

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I'm not about to go back (up?) and identify the comments that prompted this observation, although I believe that Retired Military Patriot largely inspired it with a comment that essentially sounded like, "Come on now, buck up and return to the realization that there's no one else to support but Obama!"

I appreciate that it was honest and well-intended, but it flashed me back to a little running campaign between my sister and my niece when my niece was in high school.

My sister was somehow acquainted with a boy who lived nearby, and attended the same high school as my niece. My sister thought this kid-- let's call him "Obama"-- had it all: he was good-looking, an honor student, an athlete, and was personable. (How reliable this assessment was is an open question.) Since my niece also possessed these qualities and achievements, my sister apparently saw a match made in Heaven.

So my sister used to encourage my niece to get to know him, etc. Whenever his name popped up, my sister would wonder aloud why my niece wasn't making a run at him, etc. She did it facetiously, with a tongue-in-cheek tone, but it was clear that beneath this, my sister really did think highly of the kid and genuinely hoped that my niece would share her opinion.

Of course-- as my sister probably realized, even though she couldn't help herself-- the more she touted Obama, the more annoyed my niece got, and the more resistant she became. And, possibly because I am not myself a parent, I didn't find my niece's resistance symptomatic of "immaturity", and conclude that my sister was "right" and my niece "wrong".

Nothing ever came of it, and eventually it did become more of a "joke". But I'm reminded of it because it has the same tone as the commenters who argue in Parent Knows Best terms that Obama is still the go-to guy, and that it really isn't thinking very clearly to repudiate him because he's doing the best he can in a tight spot.

I appreciate that Glenn hasn't repudiated or rejected Obama for flinging down and dancing upon the Constitution, and urges us to stay the course and institute damage control. But he's not self-righteous about it. Otherwise, not only am I increasingly put off every time some Pragmatic Political Parent tells me what a lovely boy Obama really is-- I resent their attempt to minimize the fact that their Golden Child just backed over us in the parking lot and drove away smiling.

Following Glenn, I think this callow move on Obama's part undercuts too much of his credibility for him to reestablish it, however he tries (if at all) to veer back in a supposed "new direction." He is sounding more and more like just another politician preparing to seize reins running over the backs of all the familiar horses, the ones trampling our republic. I'm already beginning to wonder if he opposed the Iraq war out of conviction or calculation.

Here his position rankles precisely because we know that he knows better. No doubt enormous pressures were applied, but he positioned himself as ready to resist them, and the spy regime is as odious as endless war. He is, by degrees, turning a vote for Nader into a vote of conscience -- to my chagrin but not to my surprise. He must think us idiots, but we can vote smarter than he imagines.

Glen,

You quote;

"Fourteen-year-olds have had their illusions shattered about those devilish politicians so now they perceive the TRUTH - - that mommy and daddy make bad judgments because mommy and daddy are utterly corrupt".

I think you and the author of this sentence are way to harh on those who have for now at least removed their support of this candidate. (I will reserve my final judgement regarding my support of this candidate until Obama votes on the bill next week).

I am one of those who had no illusions about Obama or Hillary for that matter. What happened yesterday is that my worst suspicians regarding Obama were very unfortunately confirmed. Glen, Obama not only betrayed his supporters, but more importantly, himself and his campaign ideals. This is even worse.

If you insist on using child/parent analogies, try this one on for size:

My mommy and daddy say that they will love me, protect me and tell me that I should always trust them but they keep abusing me (fill in the blank here on what type of abuse - physicial, spiritual, sexual, etc.). I guess they just don't mean it when they abuse me and besides, no one else will love me and protect me like they will so I MUST continue to love and respect them. I love my mommy and daddy, they are the best parents in the world.

I and others here have had way too much therapy or common sense to buy into the abuse/love circle. I refuse to support abusers of my trust and will continue to hold people accountable for their actions. And if the abuse does not stop, we are willing to go into the world alone - without our parents - because it is far better to go it alone than continuing the sick relationship with the abuser....read - I/we will not vote for or support any candidate if this is what we can expect.

Yes, I am finally past the point of voting for the lesser of two evils because it has not worked for me many times in the past....read - insanity.

It is Obamas choice, either he supports his own words - change, hope, bla, bla, bla or he doesn't. He will ultimately determine if he deserves my vote by his actions. I am afraid that he will continue down this path and risk the support of many loyal Democrats and Independent voters.

It is possible that things must get much worse before things are able to get better. I am prepared for this possibility.