Nor was I ever head-over-heels for Hillary.

But I paid attention to how Obama operated, and developed some very firm convictions about what the man is made of.

I will not empower him, and if I can help it I will not see him succeed and set an example of how politics is done.

Your situation is dire in the short run; our situation is dire in the long run; my decision is for the long run.

... that was prior to the current conflict -- which is usually where the context of current conflicts come from.

Your mention of Serbian partitian (sic) in this context seems malformed and/or misinformed.

Obama Joins Biden and Lugar to Applaud Senate's Unanimous Passage of Resolution Supporting Ukraine and Georgia Admission to NATO. (2008-04-29)

... link to the poll in questions, and folks can decide for theirselves what's a reality check.

And always good to at least blockquote big gobs of copyright material.

cf this piece at Washington Monthly.

... to leave the progressive coalition in irreparable shambles.

PUMAs are real Democrats, the polls are trying to tell you that, and all you can do is fling feces.

... seems to be falling off a cliff.

I've been away just a few days, and discussion spaces are unraveling everywhere.

In fact you've reinforced the case. Cleland the Lobbyist is persona non grata. How is this not "shunning"?

Cleland is shunned, and it's in keeping with announced Obama policy (in fact, the only announced policy on which we are to hang our hopes of a New Kinda Politics).

... if the tables were turned.

Scads of pro-Obama bloggers loudly and proudly proclaimed they would reject the nominee (and even leave the Party) if the tables were turned. Even Donna Brazile said she'd leave the Party.

Maybe we'll never find out how serious they were.

Maybe we will.

Obama's not the nominee yet. There's still time to nominate a real Democrat.

Why is it suddenly batshit crazy in 2008?

The 2000 McCain campaign -- and the extra media money he used between New Hampshire and Super Tuesday -- peeled support away from Bush and exposed some of his machinations (for those who were willing to see through them). The result was fewer Bush votes in November.

You know how close November 2000 was. A little help in the right place might have changed the outcome (though the primary objective was to keep Bush off the Republican ticket).

Every day for years the netroots have advertised their innate inability to think in terms of the connection between actions and consequences. Democrats get out-played cycle after cycle.

We're doing it again. We don't have to, but we're doing it again.

... though you might have if you had understood the situation at hand, and the tactics available to us.

Even if you are upset about the current upset, you might want to study this bit of history to improve your understanding.

That is, IF you engage at politics to improve the world (and not just to improve your opinion of yourself).