I worry that Obama doesn’t appreciate the viciousness of the Rethugs

[Stevendsmith]

His talk about bringing the Rethugs “to the table” really worries me. I’m getting an alarming Kerry vibe from Obama. Is he ready for the swiftboats? I'm not confident.

Sorry.

[aquart]

1. Nothing to apologize for.

You can't change something if you don't see the problem.

[Demeter]

2. Well then, That's a Learning Experience, Isn't It?

and it shows that he's really too green for this office.

[TwilightGardener]

3. He's ready. He's ready for madrassas, and cocaine, and everything else--

he'll handle it fine, and remember one thing--people LIKE him. Smears are harder to make stick when people feel goodwill toward you--it makes people feel bad when they see someone they naturally like being attacked.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

And he has told the truth about these matters

No weasel words when it came to his drug use. And the whole madrassa thing has been debunked again and again.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

4. I think he thinks he's ready

....and he may be more prepared than Kerry was.......but they will be worse than him for reasons we know all too well.

[terisan]

5. Jesus didn't compromise with the money changers in the temple-he threw them out. nt

[readmoreoften]

10. Excellent post. /nt

[niceypoo]

6. He is delusional in this respect

Obamas supporters are under the same delusion that the republicans will sing Kumbaya with Obama. They are in for a very rude awakening. Kerry made this mistake. Republicans will go bezerk if and when Obama gets the nomination. If he wants to win he will have to get over this 'unity' fantasy. There is no unity with repubicans who are basically animals and have no capacity for empathy whatsoever. In pretty much every other respect I think he will be a good candidate.

[TwilightGardener]

9. Wrong--he'll win because the Repubs will realize he's not out for

Democratic revenge, post-Chimpy. He seems like a guy they could respect and deal with. That's his biggest strength, not his weakness, IMO. That's what will win us the general.

[readmoreoften]

11. And then when we win, what? A repeat of the Democratic congress? /nt

[OzarkDem]

21. GOP marches in lockstep

They're not going to work with any Dem president or they'll risk having their party run them out of office. GOP leaders are strict disciplinarians, they don't tolerate dissent.

[old guy]

7. This bothers me also.

Bipartisanship, compromise, good things in a good world. This is, however, Bushco world and one will have to be very cautious in any dealings with repubs. They do not know the meaning of those words. I don't expect to see them change their spots even if * is gone. It is ingrained in their being. Just saying.

[emilyg]

26. You're saying what bothers me, too.

[chefgirl]

8. This is my worry too

My first thought after they called Iowa for Obama was, 'well dude, get ready for the shitstorm'.

I worry that I haven't heard a whole lot of detail from him about this "change" he's going to bring to America, and the few details I have heard have left me feeling kind of...meh.

I worry that Obama's intention to 'bring them to the table' and negotiate is just more of the same ineffective Dem strategy that's been going on in the House and Senate for the past 7 years.

I've been an Edwards supporter since before he even entered the race in 2004, and one of the most resonating things I've ever heard him say was just recently, when he began to point out that 'fighting' for change is whats going to get it done, not just hoping for it. Granted, Edwards was a part of that congress too, but I really get the gut feeling that he's learned a big fat lesson about backbone, and he's the only one who's really ready for the fight.

That said, however, if it couldn't be Edwards last night, Im just grateful it wasn't Hillary. I think Obama, at least, intends to try to bring about change.

-chef-

[OzarkDem]

23. GOP / Media won't attack him unless he wins the nomination

Then he will be swiftboated. They want a vulnerable Dem candidate who isn't willing to fight them.

For now, they're going to give him lots of exposure.

[TomClash]

12. If I were a Republican . . .

. . . I'd hate to run against him. He already brushed aside some subtle slime - Billy Shaheen's "drugs," Bill Clinton's "gifted television commentator", Bob Kerrey's "Barack Hussein Obama" and "secular madrassa" and Mark Penn's "cocaine."

Then he promptly went out and won Iowa.

[killbotfactory]

13. He thrived in the cut-throat world of Chicago politics

without being corrupted, while passing progressive legislation and getting republicans to vote for it. He'll do fine.

[Peregrine Took]

19. Nice try!! You have heard of Tony Rezko, haven't you?

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/124171,CST-NWS-obama05.article

[killbotfactory]

25. yes i've heard of him

and I don't think it amounts to anything.

[youthere]

14. Well..he learned pretty fast about the viciousness of Democrats...

I think he'll do fine.

[ellacott]

22. Very true

[Bitwit1234]

15. He's had a free run from democrats and republicans

lets see how quick he'd fold if he had a hard question asked him. he'd stick his head in the sand and call Mamma Michelle.

[Peregrine Took]

20. He's had a total pass from the media. n/t

[Bonhomme Richard]

16. I would not want to sit at the table with Obama.

My impression is that he would negotiate with a club, which would be a good thing. I have noticed that when he was taking questions from the audience at one of his speeches that he, more than once, let the questioner know that he was taking their question even though they did something he thought was insulting. To one he said that he would take her question even though she interrupted his speech earlier. Another he told that he would take his question even though the guy was snapping his fingers at him.
That attitude actually moved me toward the Obama camp initially although for now I am still behind Edwards because of his corporate stance.
Point is, this guy will not be anyones stooge.

[Ganja Ninja]

17. Exactly.

I think we're making a big mistake if we nominate this guy. I'll vote for him in the general if that's what I have to do. But I have grave reservations about his willingness to bring the change he's talking about.

[FrenchieCat]

18. So Edwards saying he would have Republicans in his cabinet

means something different?

It means the same damn thing...and Edwards said this specifically to appeal to folks that are centrist or to the right of the line.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071204/NEWS09/712040382/-1/caucus

[butterfly77]

24. I also think that he and Edwards aren't ready to deal with the ..

repubs on foreign policy. The repubs will bring out every lie under the sun to scare voters...