First thoughts: The Big Upset

[rebel with a cause]

I don't know if this has been posted or if anyone is interested in it, but I will put it up anyway. I found this interesting in that it explains things pretty clearly and also puts to rest some rumors going around. Anyway here it is, a snip and a link.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro
*** Pulling off the big upset: After 17 months, 56 contests, more than 35 million votes, and an exclamation of some 60 superdelegate endorsements yesterday, Barack Obama clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, ending the most significant and entertaining primary race in American history. And as MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann observed last night, perhaps it was only fitting that both Obama and Clinton split last night’s contests in Montana and South Dakota. But there was no mistake that the Illinois senator, who will be the first African American to be a major party’s presidential nominee, was the big winner. While he stumbled crossing the finish line -- whether it due to playing prevent defense and focusing on the general, Hillary finding her voice as the underdog, or simply a matter of geography and the nominating calendar -- Obama pulled off arguably the greatest upset in American political history. Indeed, the weight of the history is palpable, and the fact he’s an historical first is a big challenge for McCain in the fall. If someone like Obama has never gone this far before, then how does the GOP paint him as just another typical liberal politician? Obama's mere presence in the race represents a change. <snip>

"What does Hillary want?" While Obama was last night’s big winner, yesterday’s No. 2 story of course was Hillary Clinton. The day began with a report that she would acknowledge Obama clinching the nomination. Then the Clinton campaign pushed back furiously against the report, calling it “100% wrong” and “not true.” Next came word of a conference call in which Clinton told New York congressional supporters that she was open to being Obama’s running mate. And finally, she delivered a speech in New York City that -- although praising Obama -- didn’t acknowledge his nomination and didn’t signal that she was giving up the fight. <snip>
As the New York Times’ Nagourney puts it: “Like her husband, Mrs. Clinton has a way of becoming the center of attention even when the spotlight is supposed to be trained elsewhere.” That reality might make the prospect of her becoming Obama’s running mate more difficult than some of her supporters realize.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/06/04/1107917.aspx

[Arugula Latte]

1. She's a spoiled brat. nt