Hey Obama, It's a Democratic Primary

I seriously don't know what the hell's up with Barack. On policy matters the two most significant issues he's drawn contrast with his rivals is by attacking Social Security and mandated health care from the right. He accused Edwards of being somehow less-holier-than-he by becoming a trial lawyer (that's a bad thing now, apparently; getting paid to fight corporate America and help people isn't noble anymore) and bringing in "outside money," which basically shows a creeping contempt for labor unions.

Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign manager has spent the final days of the Iowa campaign railing against “big interests” that have poured a “flood of Washington money” into the state in “underhanded” efforts to support his rivals.

But more than three-quarters of that money has come from a pillar of the Democratic Party: labor unions.

And top union officials who support Obama’s rivals are in turn accusing the Illinois Democrat, who once sought their endorsements, of trying to damage labor’s political role.

“I’m taken aback that somebody like Obama would think that Oprah Winfrey has a greater right to participate in the political process than the 4 million people I represent,” Edward J. McElroy, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, which has spent $799,619 on New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s behalf, said, referring to the television host’s high-profile support for Obama. “It’s sour grapes. It sounds just like the charges the Republicans make.”

And now he's claiming that Al Gore and John Kerry alienated the country? Dude, conservative attacks on John Kerry and Al Gore led to alienating the country. And if you think your unique special-ness makes you somehow immune, keep dreaming. I think the Republican attack machine can come up with a way to turn a lot of people against the first black Presidential nominee in American history. That's not a reason to not select Obama; the reason, actually, is his attempting to win the Democratic nomination by attacking the Democratic Party.

And somehow, Dennis Kucinich sanctions this, asking his 8 supporters in Iowa to vote for Obama as a second choice. Kucinich has much less support this time around, so this is of dubious importance. But it's clear that whenever somebody tries to run on Kucinich's turf, as a true progressive, he gets indignant and goes in the other direction.

There are rebuttals to this peppered about the blogosphere, but come on. Obama is running against progressive ideas and believes he can make change through the power of his personality. I'd rather not risk it.

If Edwards wins in Iowa by running left and pissing people off, that'll be a good thing for the world. By contrast, while there's a lot I like about Barack Obama, if he wins Iowa it won't have been by running hard on the things I like best about him.

I think Obama's foreign policy team, his open government proposals, and his oratory talent augur strongly in his favor. His instinct to stick a knife in the back of progressives does not. Gimme John Edwards.

UPDATE: And according to the most respected poll in Iowa, Obama's taken the lead, so what the hell do I know.