The fight heats up:
Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), the second-ranking party leader in the Senate, says President Bill Clinton’s comments about Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) are getting “too personal” and called on the former president to refrain from attacking Obama’s integrity.
“I’m really troubled by his questioning the sincerity of Barack Obama’s opposition to the war in Iraq,” Durbin said. “I really think it is unfortunate to question Barack’s sincerity on the war. He has been there from the start, opposing this war.”
Meanwhile, Claire McCaskill, joins Tim Johnson, and Ben Nelson in endorsing Obama. I read this development two ways…on the one hand these endorsements are coming from very conservative senators. On the other hand, the conservatism of their respective electorates probably explains their preference better than their affinity for the candidates or their policies. What do I mean?
I mean that South Dakota, Nebraska, and Missouri might be better fits for the kind of New Democrat policies the Clintons espouse, but Hillary’s personality (or reputation) overwhelms that. What’s remarkable is that the senators would rather go with a black politician from Chicago than with Hillary Clinton. In a weird sort of way this is a good thing and a sign of progress in the way rural America looks at race. But it is strange to see.
