Old Lessons For Obama

Clinton benefited from the intervention of Limbaugh, who urged Republicans in Ohio and Texas to vote for her. Meanwhile, Bill Clinton turns up on Limbaugh's show on the day of the Texas primary (he was interviewed by a guest host) to plug his wife's candidacy to Limbaugh's vast conservative audience. The Clinton-right-wing friendship is one of the most arresting developments of the campaign.

Reminder, young hopefuls: There's no telling what some folks will do to get ahead.

Lesson Two: Resort to McCarthyism.

Discredit your opponent by associating him or her with someone who is strongly disliked or deemed disreputable.

It matters not that your opponent neither shares nor is influenced by that person's ideas or behavior. The association, if presented skillfully and persistently, may be enough to create doubt about the opponent.

Case in point: Link Obama with controversial figures to call into question his fitness for the presidency. Sen. Joe McCarthy did it by impugning the patriotism of innocent Americans. It worked for him -- for a while.

Guilt by association is being tried again.

Lesson Three: Getting too big for your britches is costly.

Frederick Douglass, former slave, abolitionist and human rights champion, could have told Obama that there would be days like this.

It's one thing to have a great speaking voice and a commanding presence, as did Douglass -- and, likewise, Obama. It's quite another matter to think you have something important to say. Worse yet, to tell yourself you can be a leader, not just a loyal spear carrier.

Douglass found that out.

In his autobiography, "Life and Times of Frederick Douglass," Douglass talked about his early days as an escaped slave in the North.