The Ultimate Punishment

"That stature, in turn, will be crucial in determining her success if she decides to try to climb the Senate leadership ladder. This year, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada faces what could prove to be a tough re-election fight."

In the New Republic, S.V. Date sees a potential pitfall for Obama:

"No point denying it: Barack Obama has a Jewish problem. Because of his sympathy for the Palestinians, his willingness to meet with enemies, perhaps even his Arabic middle name, he averaged ten or more percentage points worse among Jewish voters in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania than he did in those states overall. And then there's been the ongoing Reverend Wright saga, tossing gasoline on the whole situation. Still, come November, simple demographics suggest that his 'Jewish problem' will be significantly less problematic in the general election.

"Here's why: Jewish voters made up three percent of the national electorate in 2004, with their numbers concentrated in a handful of states where they constitute significant voting blocs. The states that have the highest Jewish populations, however, also tend to be reliably Democratic. Which means that even if McCain and the Republicans could somehow pry away most of the Jewish vote in New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and California (or if a lot of Jews were to decide to sit this election out), it's likely that those states would nevertheless deliver their electoral votes to an Obama ticket. And most swing states, such as Ohio and Missouri, have too few Jewish voters to make much of a difference either way. Which, naturally enough, brings it all back to Florida."

Florida, Florida, Florida. It's always about Florida.

Hillary has touched off a mini-uproar with her latest interview, with Andrew Sullivan leading the jeers:

"She goes there:

" 'I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on,' she said in an interview withUSA TODAY. As evidence, Clinton cited an Associated Press article 'that found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me.'

"Does she hear herself? 'Working, hard-working Americans, white Americans.' 'Whites in both states.' If a Republican said this about a black opponent, his career would be in jeopardy for racism."

Americablog's John Aravosis is also upset:

"Hillary is race-baiting again. Gee, no one could have predicted that one . . .

"There sure is a pattern emerging here. The Clintons are using racism to try to win the nomination against a black man . . . Is it any wonder blacks aren't voting for Hillary? They shouldn't vote for Hillary, ever again."