I have never really understood the call of some Obama supporters that he start slinging mud or take off the gloves. I always admired his relative focus on the issues and his attempts to draw contrasts based more or less in fact.

But now I see what Clinton's endless criticism of Barry has done...

These past two weeks, if you went to the homepage of any news organization you found the leading political stories being:

Cilnton blasts Obama for...
Clinton charges Obama is...
Clinton accuses Obama of...
Clinton lambasts Obama...
Clinton says to Obama "Shame on you!"

Forget the hypocrisy, falsity or deceit in any of the criticisms. Forget that every criticism has been truer of Clinton than Obama (Rovian tactics, Republican talking points, NAFTA-gate, distorted policy mailings, etc.) and that she has successfully managed to pin her sins on his lapel. (pun intended)

What kind of picture does this create? Who would want to vote for the guy getting beat up every day? There's no sympathy for a man getting trashed. There's contempt. Sexism is a two-sided coin.

All Obama has done is ignored the charges when no one else did, laughed them off while no one else did, or worse - defended himself. You don't win by defending yourself. You win by turning the tables. Changing the narrative. Making the headlines. Dictating what the story will be tomorrow. Exposing to the public Clinton's lies, flaws and weaknesses.

All Obama discusses is her Iraq vote. Newsflash Barry, we knew that already!

I cannot think of any solid blows he has made to the credibility of her candidacy beyond the Iraq vote. Not one.

Is that all you got Barry? Is that the only reason not to vote for her? Give me a break.

I am an Obama supporter and voter. I really like the guy. I respect him. I think he will be a great president; and despite my positive opinion of Hillary at the beginning of this campaign, and my commitment to vote Democratic in November regardless of the nominee, I cannot seem to control the growing hate inside of me for this woman.

But Barry is making me angry now. I don't expect him to trade in lies, smears, distortions and histrionics like Hillary. But I do expect him to fight- not fight back - fight first. Fight hard. Fight fair. Fight honestly. Fight eloquently.

As Clinton criticizes, Barry has a speech from 2002. She says that's all he's got. That ain't so. But that speech was damn good and it's time Barry went back to it for some much needed inspiration in his challenge to Clinton:

So for those of us who seek a more just and secure world for our
children, let us send a clear message to the President today.

You want
a fight, President Bush?

Let's finish the fight with Bin Laden and Al
Qaeda, through effective, coordinated intelligence, and a shutting down
of the financial networks that support terrorism, and a homeland
security program that involves more than color-coded warnings.

You want
a fight, President Bush?

Let's fight to make sure that the UN inspectors can do their work,
and that we vigorously enforce a non-proliferation treaty, and that
former enemies and current allies like Russia safeguard and ultimately
eliminate their stores of nuclear material, and that nations like
Pakistan and India never use the terrible weapons already in their
possession, and that the arms merchants in our own country stop feeding
the countless wars that rage across the globe.

You want a fight,
President Bush?

Let's fight to make sure our so-called allies in the Middle East,
the Saudis and the Egyptians, stop oppressing their own people, and
suppressing dissent, and tolerating corruption and inequality, and
mismanaging their economies so that their youth grow up without
education, without prospects, without hope, the ready recruits of
terrorist cells.

You want a fight, President Bush?

Let's fight to wean
ourselves off Middle East oil, through an energy policy that doesn't
simply serve the interests of Exxon and Mobil. Those are the battles
that we need to fight. Those are the battles that we willingly join.
The battles against ignorance and intolerance. Corruption and greed.
Poverty and despair.

The consequences of war are dire, the sacrifices immeasurable. We
may have occasion in our lifetime to once again rise up in defense of
our freedom, and pay the wages of war. But we ought not -- we will not
-- travel down that hellish path blindly. Nor should we allow those who
would march off and pay the ultimate sacrifice, who would prove the
full measure of devotion with their blood, to make such an awful
sacrifice in vain.

You want a fight Hillary?

Then give her one Barry!