OBAMA SWOON WATCH. My friend Michael Crowley at The New Republic was mocking Bossman Bob Kuttner the other day for comparing Barack Obama‘s writing to Thomas Jefferson‘s, among other words of praise. To which I would reply: Have you seen this video at the Obama web site? Twenty thousand people in Texas came out to hear him speak in Austin on Friday. What presidential candidate — Democrat or Republican — has ever gotten a crowd like that, this early in the campaign cycle? More importantly, is there any other politician in the field who can get both Marty Peretz and Bob Kuttner on his side (as Obama has)? Anyone who can bridge that political divide can, just maybe, unify the country.
–Garance Franke-Ruta