The Dwindling Options For Obama's Challengers

Hillary Clinton actually gave a pretty nice speech at the NH Democratic Party "100 Club" Dinner. She emphasized some issues you don't much hear about on the campaign trail, like mental health care and the moral imperative of the United States helping deal with the severe Iraqi refugee crisis. But Barack Obama blew her off the stage, to the extent that she almost shouldn't put herself in that position to suffer from the comparison. Obama is simply in his element in the speechifying format; Clinton is not. That doesn't mean one is a better candidate than the other, though oratory is a key element of being President, especially after 8 years of "Is our children learning." But when you have these duelling speeches you're clearly playing on Obama's turf.

Another thing she shouldn't be doing is trying to create a boogeyman out of Obama's "progressive" record. This is pretty much the only thing holding the entire blogosphere back from running into Obama's waiting arms, and these kind of potshots from a right-wing perspective are infuriating because it brings down the party and makes the liberal viewpoint look like a bad thing.

Hillary's aides point to Obama's extremely progressive record as a community organizer, state senator and candidate for Congress, his alliances with "left-wing" intellectuals in Chicago's Hyde Park community, and his liberal voting record on criminal defendants' rights as subjects for examination.

(Edwards is no saint on this either, by calling Obama a sellout to corporate America, which I think is a bit strong.)

The problems for Clinton and Edwards are manifest. There's only five days between Iowa and New Hampshire, not enough time to stop Obama's momentum without a major gaffe. And Obama isn't likely to provide that (though watch Clinton and Edwards go after him hard in tomorrow night's debate).

And on the Republican side, it's even worse. There's a caucus tomorrow in Wyoming. Not that the media has noticed; why would they take heed of a small state that's mostly white and in the middle of nowhere? That would be nutty!

I keep hearing not to count out Hillary Clinton, but with the inevitability balloon punctured, and with really only two business days until primary day, I don't see her finding a way to win.

UPDATE: Just a little more about Obama's speech. He does have this way of making you feel listened to. He directly addressed concerns of naîvete, concerns that hope may equal blind optimism, et cetera:

"I know how hard it will be to get the insurance companies and drug companies pushed back so we can actually deliver universal health care. I know climate change and educational reform don't lend themselves to easy change. I know because I've fought these battles out on the streets. I know because I've seen good legislation fail, because those with good intentions didn't have the powerful sway or the political will to overcome the obstacles. I know how hard this is going to be."

He then goes on to say that every gain we've had was the result of a few people's commitment to change, and that if you know who you're fighting for, you can talk to the other side and get them on board. Which is true, but not really an answer in the face of expected Republican intransigence (which of course is a problem for any Democratic President). Still, you do feel that the concern is at least taken into account, that there is a plan to deal with it.