Hey I paid for those red stars too! Sheesh hazmac, you're not going to get very far with skin like that. Again, the jist of my message is let's not fixate on a sinister demise for our candidate just yet.. I see that you're legitimately concerned and not a troll unfortunately you’re too easily offended by some other post in a letters thread. Sorry, bad call on my part, next time just tell me to fuck off!

Ah yes. "Bittergage" and all of that. Who's pastor said what, once.

All of those terribly serious policy issues. So will Bill O'Rielly, Rush Limbaugh, and the entire GOP attack team and their surrogates.

Meanwhile the rest of us will be talking about the exciting new nominee and discussing actual policy differences between him and McCain, AKA things that actually matter.

Just because someone cloaks it in "Oh, *I* don't think these "character" smears are serious issues, mind you, but the GOP will!" doesn't make it less absurd or damaging or beside the point. It just makes it concern trolling.

Declaring a winner, or even announcing that it's a race with winners and losers would harm someone's self esteem. Therefore it was declared today that everyone's a winner, everyone's special, everyone gets a trophy.

looses? the only things loose are your logic, your screws, and your stool. jeff

Let's start here. Enough of this bullshit, take a stand. You know what it was like to be hamstrung and kneecapped by these people.

Mr. Gore, you need to lead and you need to do it now!

Now when all the Dems are sleepy in the afterglow the GOP will hand them their heads. It's not a preferable outcome but I'm afraid the Obama faction is so thrilled with itself that Obama's campaign will essentially be on autopilot now under the assumption that the election is already won. Cable news will play along and then on election night it will sound like

Obama has an unsurmountable lead

Obama is way way way ahead

Obama has a wide lead

Obama is leading

Obama is still leading

Obama has a slight lead

It's pretty much a statical tie

Obama may be lagging

Obama needs to win a few key states

It's too early to call

Obama is now slightly behind

Obama looses in a stunning reversal

I mean I only really expect wonks to be paying attention to the details, like the actual delegate count. Aren't are party leaders supposed to pay attention to that?

Unless supers were to quick change their minds and leave Obama and droves- he has passed the magic number. Are they really that scared of Hillary?

The star just means that whoever-it-is is a paid-up Salon member. Editor's Choice posts get a red star.

Dem leaders actually wanted this race over months ago and the voters ignored them in droves. And voters will decide whether they are willing to support Obama. If the superdelegates, party leaders and Obama-maniacs continue to insist, demand, insult and ignore, good luck in November.

I'm a loyal Democrat and came to Salon.com, first because I value Salon.com and see their writers routinely appear on MSNBC.

So when I hear alarming words from a Congressman on the air I came to Salon.com with a serious concern -because I believed them to be one of the better sources for free and open and honest journalism. And I include Joan's rants in my appreciation of honest journalism.

So excuse the f*** out of me Salon, for not bringing you juicier bits of info - like more Pastor comments maybe??

But then when another poster labels me a potential troll and shows little respect for my concerns, you reward him with your "Editor's choice medal"??

Thanks for that one sided show of respect.

I won't be coming back.

Joan will be glad the bruising primary is over and the Democratic party can begin to heal its divisions.

But she'll be concerned that by declaring victory too early, before the August convention at which there is still the possibility that declared superdelegates could change their votes, Obama is being disrespectful to Clinton and her supporters. This will further alienate the many who have already said they would be reluctant to support him in November.

She'll be concerned he has not yet fully explained his 'bitter' remarks, his relationship with Rev. Wright and how his views differ from Wright, nor has he adequately laid to rest the Rezko and Ayers controversies. She'll worry that these will remain open avenues for the Republicans to attack him.

She'll worry his platform still relies too much on hope and generalities, and he has not adequately detailed his policies.

She'll worry he seems too aloof and elite, and does not seem like an ordinary American who can down shots and bowl a 230. He will need to correct this if there is any hope for him to win over hard working white Americans. She knows, because she comes from a working-class Irish Catholic family.

She thinks he's a strong candidate, but worries that he will have to have Hillary as VP if he wants any hope of winning over independents, white women, and the 'low-information' voters.

She's worried, but has every confidence that if he is selected as the nominee at the convention, he will be able to overcome all these obstacles and possibly eke out a win in November.

Although this smacks of concern trollism to me (and I'm no Dr. Zachary) I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Let's just say that if that event ever came to pass there would be complete anarchy. Isn't that a happy thought too! I don't think Hillary would be stepping into the white house either. But let's not dwell on such topics lest we begin to believe them.

I always wondered why the original "Planet of the Apes" was my favorite movie. (Metaphorically looking around the Salon community....) Hmmm!

(Just a joke to alleviate some of the tension in the room.)

I can't wait, as soon as we enslave whitey, I'm going to buy you.

LOL, just kidding. You're obviously defective.

P.S. This is a joke. We aren't really going to enslave white people.

I repeat, this is an attempt at mockery and humor. Do not be offended.

Except Electro because he is a jackass.