Inoculation

Some are claiming it'll hurt whichever Dem eventually gets the nomination to be tearing away at each other for the next few months. The argument is plausible, but I don't find it convincing.

First, as I've been noting all along, things move fast enough these days that it takes less than a month for everything to change. We'll have a lot more than a month after the conventions to concentrate on the race and that will determine who wins, no matter what's happening now.

More important, at least regarding Obama, is that here's a guy who's never been seriously tested nationally. The kind of attacks he was getting from Hillary and earlier, Edwards, were pretty minor compared to what he can expect from the Republicans (even if McCain tries to run on a higher level). If Obama can't stand up to this level of criticism, he'd have an even tougher time in the general election. Better he be seriously challenged now and either fail or come through it stronger.

PS Here's an interesting story: "Obama Says He Will Sharpen Criticism." So he got his hair a little mussed and he's starting to whine about it. Note that his idea of running a nobler campaign is revealed to be a strategy, not a moral stance.