Rich Cohen — Obama being Swift-boated

Even a stopped calendar is right twice a year, and Cohen is more than right with this grand slam. Basically, he’s right that Obama is getting Swift-boated AND that either Obama thinks his Post-Partisan Politics™ will rise above this, or else he just doesn’t get it yet:

What Obama does not understand is that he is being Swift-boated. (Emphasis added.)

Of course, non-comprehending and Obama’s PPP aren’t mutually contradictory, either. Indeed, they may go together, with Obama thinking, “They can’t be doing this to me, can they?”

As with Kerry’s Vietnam service, Cohen then argues the GOP is going straight for Obama’s perceived strength.

But why is he quiet?

Cohen suggests that maybe he IS worried about the “angry black man” or maybe he's just too cool to ever show that type of anger.

But the result is that we have little insight into his passions: What, above all, does he care about? The answer, at least to the Sunday TV viewer, was nothing much.

Read the whole thing.

If Rich Cohen not only “gets it,” but spells it out, it’s serious. Will B.O. get that?

My first thoughts for Obama in general election

First, Sen. Obama, you, I’ll riff on George Wallace a bit. You can’t outmilitary Schmuck Talk Express™, so hammer him for being locked into war-first solutions.

• Along with that, you can’t out-military him with a certain vice-presidential choice. Translation? Don’t choose Jim Webb. Although I still lean Green right now, you can make me lean either less or more Green by whom you choose to run with you.

• Also in that header, don’t choose John Edwards. His poverty tour is a great idea, but, if he wouldn’t bust knuckles for John Kerry, will he for you?

• For other reasons, unless you have a gun to your head worse than the one Sam Rayburn pulled out on JFK in 1960, don’t choose Hillary, either. If a woman, like Kansas Gov. Sebelius, is a good choice in part because of an outreach to feminism-energized female supporters, make sure she is the choice for more than just that.

Second, on the “Muslim” Swift Boating that is sure to come in tidal-wave level, don’t just deny it.

Take an aggressive gamble. Call out the religious bigotry. Ask what would be wrong with a Muslim president. Consider using Rep. Keith Ellison in this regard, if he has any free time from his re-election campaign.

Call on McCain to denounce it. Every time it happens. Pin it to him hard.