Well, when I heard about this earlier this AM, my thoughts were that (A) Gee, I wish Caroline had entered politics herself at an earlier age because every time I have heard her speak about anything, I have been so impressed with her level head and her ability to so warmly communicate information and values; (B) has she just adopted Obama into the family curse. Not making ight of this-- he was already a target, and now IMO he is a bigger one. I fear for him.

In terms of national politics per se-- no it is not "over." The candidates still have to figure out how they will slice up the pie IF they win the whole pie, in order not to lose that pie to the opposition before they even get a taste. In that much, nothing has really changed, nor IMO can it change.

In that vein, Hillary has already been out-maneuvering Obama on grooming her Dem rival to be positioned as her VP (or any other high-ranking administration member). Obama has taken every bait she's offered in public, without knowing how to adroitly work around her little surprise invitations and co-optings-- poor skills that can only hurt him in foreign policy talks with other world leaders, eh? He may make a good president someday, but IMO not THIS day.

Obama will have to show me his ability to actually form coalitions instead of just talking about wanting them, to get my vote. And a little more experience on the Big Stage of world politics. I am just not sure where hae can gain that, outside of the Senate, without blundering the US into something scary.... I can't even see him at the UN just yet, much less in the Oval Office. Certainly not heading the State Department.


However there are many who prefer the hope to the reality, in life, if they even can discern the difference. It's an old, old political bamboozle to work that preference... with disastrous consequences for nation, world, and both party and candidate, when it works.

~Susan