28 JAN 08 / "Obama Wins Big in South Carolina"

The political lesson out of the Democratic primary in South Carolina on Saturday was that even the Clinton machine in full attack mode cannot derail the phenomenon that is Barack Obama. Obama defeated Hillary Clinton by a margin of 2 to 1 despite the fact that Bill Clinton publicly criticized Obama in every way imaginable, a role unbecoming a former president of the United States. It clearly was a strategic mistake to unleash Bill Clinton in such a manner.

Martin Luther King was an impassioned speaker and one of America's greatest leaders. Obama is still more style than substance, but he has the potential to rise to higher standard. He is a liberal of the 1960's mode in that he believes government can solve problems, but the problem is not the United States. He does not 'blame America first.' He demonstrates that you can be a patriotic liberal.

Bill Clinton tried to explain the Obama's victory away to comparing it to Jesse Jackson's South Carolina primary win in 1988, but people aren't buying it.

It's clear that many Republicans do not dislike Obama despite the fact that his policies are decidedly liberal. They won't vote for him over the Republican nominee in the general election, but should Obama be elected the country will be in better hands than if the the Clintons regained the presidency.

It is noteworthy that someone so new to the national political stage could have such an impact on voters.