Regardless of what tipped the vote in her favor – and I think there were a number of factors – I can’t help but think the voters in New Hampshire made a big mistake when they gave Hillary that victory. Had she lost there, I think it would’ve been nearly impossible for her to stop Obama’s momentum. As it is, a huge battle lies ahead.

It is crucial that voters in Nevada, S. Carolina, and the Super Tuesday states do not repeat New Hampshire’s mistake. Obama is far more electable than Clinton, and a far more inspiring choice to move the country past the divisiveness of the Bush-Clinton years.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I think that the frothing-at-the-mouth hatred that Hillary inspires in so many Republicans borders on the insane (and it’s certainly idiotic), but Democrats ignore that antipathy at their own peril. If Democrats want to do the most powerful thing they can to turn out the *right-wing* base in November, the choice is simple: nominate Hillary Clinton.

Obama, on the other hand, is the one candidate that Americans across the political spectrum can get behind. How do we know? Because they did it in Iowa. He trounced Hillary among independents, brought out unprecedented numbers of young people, and even defeated her by a percentage point among women there. Even in New Hampshire, he beat her handily amongst independents and young voters. He is a *true* uniter, something that Bush and Mrs. Clinton, unfortunately, can never be.

Imagine a contest between Obama and McCain. Barack would destroy the old guy in a general election. Clinton? I’m not so sure. Certainly, after seven years of the Bush fiasco, any Dem nominee *should* be able to beat any Republican, but given the way Hillary infuriates and riles up Republicans, it would be a huge risk to give her that responsibility. And really, do voters – even those who appreciate Bill Clinton’s presidency – really want to hear all those same old attacks and innuendoes and slanders repeated for another four or eight years? It’s time to turn the page, finally, and only Obama can do that.

Lastly, we should adress this silly “experience” issue: JFK only served a single full term in the Senate before becoming one of our most beloved presidents, and Lincoln, probably the greatest president ever, had served only *one* term in the House before his election. And of course, Bush was a two-term governor when he was elected, and we know how that worked out…There are other, *better*, metrics than mere time-in-office, and Obama’s obvious intelligence and good judgement – remember, he was right about Iraq from the beginning – are ample evidence of the strong leadership he would bring to the White House.

Democrats have a choice, a choice between unity and division, between the future and the past. Do we want to risk another Republican president, or four more years of Bush-Clinton bickering? Or do we want to turn the page to a new chapter in American life? Get out and *vote* in your primaries, and vote for Barack Obama.