Republican Debate

I caught the last five minutes or so of the Republican debate this evening.

It's very difficult for me to envision either Romney or McCain defeating an Obama-led ticket in the fall. I'm a fan of McCain, but he seemed surprisingly arrogant in his exchanges with Romney. Mitt was the same as ever - you don't believe 85% of the words that come out of his mouth. This is an incredibly weak Republican field, as a whole, though. I'm still shocked that Huckabee hasn't caught on to a greater degree.

Oh well. We'll see what happens in a few days, but it appears as if my Huckabee prediction has already been proven incorrect. It's still incredible to think that McCain campaign workers in New Hampshire were losing their posts as recent ago as the dog days of summer. Hopefully John can come full circle; I still have hope that a McCain-Obama contest would bring a new civility to national politics.

Obama and South Carolina

I can't believe some of the things I'm reading in the wake of Barack's landslide South Carolina victory. Witness what some of the Republicans over at National Review's Corner are saying:

Peter Wehner discusses Obama's ability to rise above the typical political fray:

"Barack Obama's speech tonight was simply exceptional — and a reminder of why he is one of the most remarkable political talents in our lifetime. He was able to speak in ways that seem to rise above conventional politics, even as he was able to masterfully push back against the Clinton attacks of the last several weeks. His capacity to touch and stir authentic emotions is remarkable. And unlike Clinton and especially Edwards, the Obama message is about unity, not divisions; and hopes rather than grievances. If Obama wins the Democratic nomination, Republicans have a great deal to fear. He has tremendous break-out potential."

And then he continues:

"Politics is, at the end of the day, about ideas and philosophy, not simply rhetoric. But, as all the great presidents have shown, rhetoric matters, too. Beyond that, Hillary Clinton is a conventional liberal, as is Obama; the difference is that Obama is a graceful and dignified person who draws people to him rather than drives them away. He is impossible to dislike. And when you see Obama and Clinton together, or back to back, is there any doubt who is the more impressive person — or the more formidable political figure?"

And then Rich Lowry says:

"That was not only a stirring victory speech by Obama, but a devastating rebuke to the Clintons clothed in inspirational liberal terms.

Obama embraced diversity, the subtext being that Hillary can't win blacks and is depending on keeping him from winning whites; he said that the old politics objects even to saying that Republicans have ideas, a dig at Hillary's ridiculous attacks on what he said about Republicans formerly being the party of ideas; he said that the old Washington thinking values time spent in Washington and proximity to the White House, a slap at Hillary touting her time as First Lady; he attacked Washington lobbyists, when Hillary has defended their role in the process; he said we can overcome racial categories, a rebuke to the Clinton strategy of polarizing the campaign along racial lines.

Then, he grounded his message of hope in Edwardesque stories illustrating the need for better health care, education, and wages—a lunch-bucket appeal. Near the end, there was a soaring call for national unity, echoing his famous 2004 convention speech, "I didn't see a white South Carolina or a black South Carolina, I saw South Carolina." And he framed his fight with Hillary, in another reference to the way she and her husband have fought this campaign, thusly, "It's not about black versus against white, it's the past versus the future." Ouch. And when he said the old politics was about "divisions, distractions, and drama," could there be any three words better suited to describe Clintonian attack politics?

Overall, a stunningly deft performance, and a moving one. It's the best liberal case you'll ever hear for moving on from the Clintons."

And then David Freddoso:

"He is getting above the fray right now. I really think it will work for him in the future. Clintonian politics may have died tonight — but let's not say such a thing too hastily.

Hillary fled without a concession speech because a 30-point defeat, after the disgraceful, negative, and even at times racially charged campaign she ran, is an embarrassment.

By the way, did anyone else notice the cable networks cutting Bill off earlier?"

What a win. Here's Barack's speech: