For Obama, taking on Hillary Clinton in a primary is like taking on the baddest-ass most unscrupulous Republican the RNC can throw at us. Kos Diarists PLS demonstrates how that is not such a bad thing.
I just read the great news in Geekesque’s recommended diary about how Obama responded to Hillary’s attack, and I was reminded of when I really started to get on board with Obama in the first place. It was when he got attacked early on and hit back with deadly force.
Reading what he had to say about this, I have to say that Hillary just lost. Calling him “naive” when she claims that Bush “mislead” her is a wonderful gift. She thought she had him because the CW is that you don’t reward your enemy by “talking” to him unless “said” enemy agrees up front to capitulate. And Obama uses that to tie her to Bush, and hoists her on her own petard on Iraq. Man, this guy is a great infighter.
He is a gentleman, that’s what worries people I think. But it seems that those who attack him regret it later. Isn’t that what we all want?
Best of all, I think this is the guy because he doesn’t cave and cower before CW, the abiding weakness of the Dems. He doesn’t let the other guy define him, instead he re-frames the issue. Saying “America should not be afraid to talk to enemies” is just fucking brilliant. In other words, it’s really Bush and the Repugs who are pussies, because it is they who are afraid.
Gotta admit, I did think Hillary had him on that one at the debate, but he just did a judo move on her. Now, her judgment on Iraq is on the table, and it’s her fault. She is toast. Best of all, he just proved he can beat the Repugs, because Hillary’s attack was right out of their play book.