One of these things…

…is not like the other. McClatchy...

WASHINGTON — On health care, the war in Afghanistan, civil liberties and the economy, President Barack Obama is meeting growing resistance from the very group that propelled his election last year: liberal Democrats.

Public Policy Polling...

Our new poll suggests that liberal unhappiness with Barack Obama is still largely anecdotal and not very widespread. His approval rating with liberal Democrats is 95%, with only 3% disapproving of him.

And does anyone really believe there are enough liberal Democrats in America to propel anyone to victory? I wish there were, but if I got that wish we'd all be busy bitching about President Kucinich's inability to get single payer through the Senate, or impeaching President Edwards for being a cad, or wondering what the hell President Gravel was talking about.

We don't have Mike Gravel to kick around anymore…

…unless he can find himself another party lickety-split.

The Libertarian Party has picked former Republican Rep. Bob Barr to be its presidential candidate after six rounds of balloting.

Perfect choice, I suppose. An economic troglodyte but a strong and consistent civil libertarian. Not a bong hitter, AFAIK, but you can't have everything.

Who’s Out

Alan Keyes
Unfortunately, lost to Mike Gravel.

Heh™

Vaya con Dios, Governor.

Chad Shue has Governor Richardson's farewell to his supporters. His nod to the field he entered may be the best thing I hear from him during his campaign...

Senator Biden's passion and intellect are remarkable.
Senator Dodd is the epitome of selfless dedication to public service and the Democratic Party.
Senator Edwards is a singular voice for the most downtrodden and forgotten among us.
Senator Obama is a bright light of hope and optimism at a time of great national unease, yet he is also grounded in thoughtful wisdom beyond his years.
Senator Clinton's poise in the face of adversity is matched only by her lifetime of achievement and deep understanding of the challenges we face.
Representative Kucinich is a man of great decency and dedication who will faithfully soldier on no matter how great the odds.
And all of us in the Democratic Party owe Senator Mike Gravel our appreciation for his leadership during the national turmoil of Vietnam.

And you, Governor? A class act. Good luck.

And, of course, condolences to the Governor's supporters. Can I interest all y'all in a slightly bruised populist?

Don't ask me why…

…but apparently someone called "Mike Gravel" claims to have dropped out of the Democratic race.

Me too.

Just in case…

...you didn't think he was crazy...

"I'm thinking about Ron Paul" as a running mate, Kucinich told a crowd of about 70 supporters at a house party here, one of numerous stops throughout New Hampshire over the Thanksgiving weekend. A Kucinich-Paul administration could bring people together "to balance the energies in this country," Kucinich said.

Of course, the idea that he thinks his musings about the bottom of the ticket might matter is pretty nuts, too.

Time for Dennis to join Gravel on the sidelines.

Fooled twice?

Shame on you, Senator...

Edwards criticized Clinton for voting earlier in the day in Washington to approve a nonbinding motion calling on the State Department to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guard as "a foreign terrorist organization," which Edwards said was a potential first step toward war against Iran.

That was the infamous Lieberman-Kyl amendment, of course. Lieberman. Kyl. Does anyone doubt that it was designed, diluted or otherwise, as a first step toward war against Iran? Either Hillary wants, or is at least prepared to accept, a war with Iran or she's been fooled twice.

Shame on her for this, too...

…Long-shot candidate Mike Gravel jumped on Clinton as well, saying, "I am ashamed of you, Hillary, for voting for it."

After a loud laugh at the often-comical Gravel, Clinton defended her vote.

The laugh might have been an effective foil on FOX News, but it's getting old already. War is no laughing matter. As Melissa says...

...lots of the Democratic base feels exactly the same way Gravel does. And haughty disdain probably isn't the best way to respond to that.

Probably not.

Possibly foolish, even.

Maybe shameful.

Heh™.

Senator Obama:

"It's always a shock to the system when Sunday morning you wake up and you're face to face with Mike Gravel."

Impolitic? Perhaps. Funny? You, as the Ballardians say, betcha.

First impression…

…of the AFL-CIO Presidential forum? Without Mike Gravel, Biden becomes the cranky old dude on stage.

No one wins these things. The winner is named - or, likely not - at the endorsement convention by folks whose support isn't readily earned with a soundbite. Still, it was entertaining and a chance to see Dennis Kucinich at his best with the encouragement of the kind of audience he's built his entire political career on impressing. When he says he'll have a "worker's White House," you believe he would, even though you know he never will.

From the "Credit Where It's Due" file…

Joe Biden:

"It is outrageous that three years after the 9/11 Commission made its recommendations virtually nothing has been funded by this White House and yet Giuliani continues to make the pathetic case that his party has provided leadership fighting terrorism," the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman said.

"As everyone knows, until we end the war in Iraq, we are distracted from the main agenda of combating terrorism in Afghanistan and strengthening our homeland security. Giuliani and the rest of the Republican candidates continue to cling to this Administration's failed policy that a strong central government can be propped up in Iraq," Biden said.

"If these are the positions he wants to defend, I invite him to debate me on these important topics," the senator said.

'Minor' (marginal?) primary candidacies are valuable to the degree they emulate Senator Biden and take the fight directly to our real opponents. That's why intramural grumblers like Gravel have to go. For my money, though, Joe's welcome to indulge his Presidential fantasies as long as he keeps this up.

When Dennis Kucinich says…

“The Democrats have failed the American people.”

…Dennis Kucinich has failed the Democratic Party and demonstrated his lack of fitness to lead our Party's ticket.

He's become less than worthless in the Presidential race. Doesn't he have something to do in '08 that actually matters?

Maybe he can get Mike Gravel, who's only apparent utility is to make Dennis seem more 'Presidential,' to help him out.

Hat tip to The Carpetbagger Report.