MUST READ: David Samuels: How Obama Build an Omnipotent Political Machine, and How It Was Destroyed

Rapid-Onset Political Enlightenment

I only understand this stuff from a different angle, from the perspective of academia generally and philosophy in particular. Roughly: the development of the array of deranged, pseudoscientific, Orwellian ideas. The other aspect of this--the role of the elite, progressive-and/or-liberal, Democrat apparatus...the stuff on which Samuels focuses...well, all that was completely invisible to me until recently. I'm basically clueless about it.

So I can't say that he's right...

But: big if true.

Damn interesting.

One of the most interesting popular political essays I've read in a long time, I think.

I voted for Obama twice. Donated lots of money. Volunteered lots of time.

I don't consider him to be thoroughly bad. I still think he's got the right demeanor to be President, and that's important. I voted for him largely because I was ignorant of his alleged Orwellian-left beliefs and sympathies. And, of course, Samuels could be wrong about it...but I wouldn't guess that he's entirely wrong.

And: I still thought that the Dems were basically the good guys.

And: I was still on an anti-GOP jihad that was largely fueled by the lie-up to the Iraq war.

I really considered McCain...but the Sarah Palin choice nixed that.

I also voted for him because he was black. I would have denied it at the time, but it's true.

Dumb, dumb, dumb.