Obama Starts Taking Charge

ANOTHER CONSERVATIVE BEHIND THE TIMES. Rich Lowry, editor of the National Review, wrote in yesterday's New York Post that the Democratic Party nominated Barack Obama because Democrats had "fallen in love."

IN the end, the Democrats fell in love.

At least, half of them did - and the party establishment, as represented by the superdelegates, wasn't going to deny them their inamorata.

That's just so 2007. In fact, Obamamania has been over ever since the Jeremiah Wright story broke. If Lowry had been following the Democratic primaries at all, he would know that Barack Obama won because he had a better plan for contesting the primaries, out-organized Hillary in the post-Feb. 5 caucuses and primaries , and then fought tooth and nail to preserve his advantage through the rest of the nomination battle.

If Obama wanted to win the nomination, he had to outbattle a real heavyweight in Hillary Clinton. And he did. Barack Obama inspired a lot of initial enthusiasm among his natural high-income, white demographic at first, but he is the Democratic nominee as a result of his strong public presence, great planning, heavy spending, and dogged determination.

Obama the Leader. Now that he's won the nomination, Barack Obama is showing his leadership ability by quickly confronting Joe Lieberman over Lieberman's aggressive advocacy of John McCain, campaigning in the Appalachian areas of Virginia where he's weakest, and speaking out to damp down vice-presidential speculation.

Obama also met with Hillary Clinton tonight.

Obama's not only the nominee, but he's also moving quickly to exercise his authority as the new leader of the Democratic Party.

Score me as impressed. Now, I just need to make my first campaign contribution of the general election.