Sweet baby Jesus, they saved our bacon. We're back in the game."

[roseBudd]

But the G.O.P. was practically buoyant compared with the gloom that reigned when Obama roared out of Iowa. Having spent years planning for an epic rematch against the Clintons, their favorite archvillains, Republicans suddenly saw a new and looming foe rumbling the ground as he approached. Obama's lack of political baggage and abundance of star power made the all-too-human qualities of the Republican field more apparent.

Never have so many Republicans been so pleased by Hillary Clinton's success. "Sweet baby Jesus, they saved our bacon," a veteran of the Reagan Administration exulted. "We're back in the game." But that relief may well be short-lived. This is going to last for a while, and in 48 states, voters are getting ready to play.

— reported by Ana Marie Cox, Michael Scherer, Jay Newton-Small, Amy Sullivan and Karen Tumulty/Iowa and James Carney, Gilbert Cruz, Michael Duffy and Mark Halperin/New Hampshire


http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1702120-5,00.html

[roseBudd]

1. "I look at the Barack Obama campaign in some horror. That should give all of us a pause."

The Democratic financial advantage has been evident for more than a year. The eight Democrats who were in the presidential race last year raised a combined $253 million in 2007 from individual donors; the nine Republicans raised a combined $207.5 million. Obama's $36 million in January exceeded the amount raised by all six Republican candidates who were still competing in that month.

The discrepancy was enough to lead Republican National Committee Treasurer Tim Morgan to sound off last weekend in San Francisco during a California Republican convention. Morgan said the RNC has budgeted $150 million for the year, $100 million less than it raised in 2004 when President Bush ran against Democrat John Kerry.

"I look at the Barack Obama campaign in some horror," he said, noting the Democrat's totals so far this year. "That should give all of us a pause."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080301/ap_on_el_pr/campaign_money

from GOP Frets Over Democratic Fundraising.

[denem]

2. They knew the Clinton Machine could crush all comers

... oh wait.

[roseBudd]

3. I have nothing against Hillary. I am a pragmatist. Winning the election is job 1...

We have already failed with charisma deprived eggheads. Gore came off as a scold. It was painful watching Kerry on The Daily Show.

We are seeing a phenomonon in Obama. Are we really going to shoot ourselves in the foot because it's a woman's turn, or it's inevitable. Or everyone already knows what they dislike about Hillary.

Charisma means people who don't know you like you. It is that quality that all the dirt flinging against a likable person, just seems to slide off.

If you think Hillary's annoying characteristics are beginning to turn people off now, wait for the general election debates, when the undecideds make their decision on the most superficial criteria.