Dayo just flagged a fantastic anecdote involving Bill Richardson and Obama. As she says, you probably

"If I do endorse, it's going to be a gut feeling. It's not going to be about statistics, about past ties," Richardson said. "I've been on the campaign trail with both of them. I feel that I know them. I feel I know the issues. I feel I know what makes them both tick."

It sounds like he's trying to convince himself to endorse Obama in spite of his history with the Clintons. Then again, "statistics" could refer to Obama's superior electability.

What are the chances of Hillary doing that? Great of Richardson to reveal the story.

Since I'm the resident Hillary defender, let me recall something I remember fondly about her.

It was inaugeration day and the lines to tour the white house were very long.  When they were going to close the line, Hillary protested with something like "we're about to screw all these people."  Microphones picked this up and right wing talk radio bashed her for the bad language (I remember the incident from Limbaugh), but I found it endearing: the line doesn't close at the door, it closes at the end of the line!

Not to hijack the thread, but what do people think of Obama refusing to shake Hillary Clinton's hand at the SOTU address?

I suspect no one will be saying "It was good of you to do that."  But worse, doesn't it look really bad for his whole "bring people together" schtick?

I'm an Obama supporter, so basically I want to be told that it wasn't as bad as it looked.

"I'm an Obama supporter, so basically I want to be told that it wasn't as bad as it looked."

One can handshake ' honest disagreement.' I think such an attitude better than dishonest felicity.

Clifton, there's not enough Purell in the world, after all she's put him through.

This is from a poster at Democratic Underground. It sounds plausible.

I don't even think Obama was trying to outright snub Hillary, but think he was trying to give her and Senator Kennedy a moment. Ted and Hillary are good friends, and I do think it would have been rude for Obama to inject himself into the middle of that. So, really I don't think this was a snub at all - I think it is a hyped up story by the media to create a scandal that never existed, and if he had intentions on snubbing her it is ultimately irrelevant, because it was a mutual act done by both. That is what the AP reported, which is being distorted here and elsewhere.

Yes yes, a very humane thing to do. But wouldn't it have been hilarious for Obama to have whispered "Terrorists. Terrorists." and then Richardson's response been something like "I will spend my Presidency working to defeat those thugs!" That really would have been great.

I'm an Obama detractor -- it wasn't as bad as it looked!  I mean, I'm sure they picked the worst screenshot they could find in that scene.  All I ask is that whoever loses doesn't do a Ted Kennedy in 2000 (i.e., made Carter chase after him on the convention stage)!

"after all she's put him through"

My yes, he had to explain his remark about Reagan and the GOP and...and...

The impressive thing in the anecdote is not that Obama helped Richardson recover. It's that he was sensitive enough to notice the problem and quick enough to offer useful help in time. I don't doubt that Hillary would have done the same thing if given the opportunity. (Her vicious passive-aggressive streak doesn't let her stick the knife in face-to-face; notice how she frequently says conciliatory things at debates and then minutes after the debate is over lets loose with her latest personal attacks and innuendo, often by press release.) What I'm not sure about Hillary in a similar circumstance is whether she would be sensitive enough to notice Richardson's dilemma nor quick enough to improvise a helpful solution. But equalize those variables, and I'm sure she throws the lifeline too.

timcrim, (clifton)

That's pretty much what Axelrod said today: "I think [Obama] knew that Senator Kennedy and Senator Clinton were friends," he said. "This was obviously an awkward day from that standpoint, and I don't think he wanted to stand there while Senator Kennedy was greeting Senator Clinton. And I think that was an appropriate sentiment."

Obama does seem to need to have his personal coolness or unpleasantness explained a lot. Remember, "you're likealbe enough, hillary"?  There was also a report a while ago, even here at The Obama New Republic (TONR), talking about his brittleness and impatience with voters' questions. And there was his repeated "snapping" at Jeff Zelney of the Times.

Sorry, Richardon was polling at about 2.6%. That's like Alex Rodriguez admitting his foot was off the bag in the 9th inning of a 13-3 game against the Devil Rays. Does that confirm A Rod is a great  and honest guy? Hardly!  Don't get me wrong, it was a nice touch and one that is severely lacking in the process, but it tells us nothing. The question is whether Obama would have thrown Hillary the lifeline in the same situation.

On the handshake, who shakes hands with one's coworkers every day? Foreigners are often a bit offput by the American fondness for shaking hands, but really we mainly do it when greeting a stranger for the first time or when greeting a previous acquaintance after some period of absence. We don't shake hands with the woman in the next cubicle or the other guy on our wiring crew every morning. Why would anyone expect Senate colleagues to shake hands in greeting anyway? Offering a handshake in that circumstance would be artificial political theater, not an authentic sentiment of greeting and respect.

Granted, the wise way to deal with such a passive-aggressive handshake offer is to accept, shake firmly and just a little bit more slowly than the other person expects, smile, nod, and move on as if the next person you've already passed your eyes to is your favorite person in the whole world. Sort of, "Oh. Hillary. Hi. Hey! Ted! Buddy! Great to see you!" Then, you know, don't shake hands with the next person, hug them. Points deducted from Obama on style for not executing this classic political maneuver.

While I give Richardson a lot of credit for admitting this (it shows he is a regular guy who can laugh at himself) it also shows he really wasn't up for the big time. He thought "he was home free for a while" is something a High School student would say, not a man who was engaged in a Political debate for Presidency in front of a live audience. What was he thinking "Ok, I am done for a while, oh look, that woman in the front row is hot, I wonder if Barack notices her"?

"Likeable enough."

This myth, in my mind, that Obama snubbed Hillary with that line is unfair. It was an tough moment for Hillary when she got the "likable" question. She said "I don't think I'm that bad..." At this point Obama went to the mike and said "You're likable enough, Hillary, no doubt about it." And then Gibson laughs and Hillary smiles and bobs her head--in a rather endearing way, I might add--and says "I appreciate that."

On a transcript, "likable enough" looks cold and cruel. But watch the clip. In the moment it seems like he his trying to give her a hand through some rough personal questioning. If you still feel Obama was rude, well, agree to disagree.

hotair.com/.../video-obama-calls-hillary-likeable-enough

My favorite part about the "no handshake" story is that it was the top headline at chicagotribune.com today -- and was their sole coverage of the State of the Union address!  No further proof needed that Dubya is completely irrelevant: he gives a major address (not a great one, but still, it's a SotU speech!) and the Chicago Tribune finds the most noteworthy moment to be a gossipy non-event between two Senators from the opposite party.

Good thing W doesn't read the papers, or he'd be wondering exactly when he was demoted to Prom King.  I feel better about America already.

In France (gasp!) everyone shakes hands with everyone else everyday.  It actually takes about a half-hour out of the day and as an American working there for awhile, I found it quite odd.  After all, you see the same people everyday but these folks never failed to take time out to greet each other warmly.  After awhile I became quite used to it and missed it a lot when I came back to the states.

Granted, I think this business about Obama failing to shake Hillary's hand to be a little ridiculous.  But it would be a nice custom to adopt, especially in Congress where civility often seems strained or non-existent (I'm thinking of Cheney's "go f*ck yourself" comment here.)

I have watched the clip. Like most other viewers and even commentators, it looked meanspirited and nasty, the cool kid putting down the nerdy girl.

Maybe it depends on your incomming bias but I thought the "you're likeable enough" quip was snide.  Adam, just because Hillary smiled and didn't react -- haven't you ever been hit with a zinger and do a self-efacing smile?  And I thought she did look a bit taken aback.

The real myth in this campaign is that there are no policy differences between the two.  They're not as great as, oh, Reagan vs. Ford in 1976 or Kennedy vs. Carte in 1980 (not 2000 as I mentioned ago -- brain cramp, sorry!), but they are there.

Yea, nice story. Obama would be the kinda kid who would have helped you out in class (and god knows I needed it) while Clinton reminds me of the kid who covered up what she was writing with her arm and shot you the occasional glance of hatred.

Go Obama!

9 months maternity leave - legal minimum

21 days off a year - paid, legal minimum

Minimum Force Majeure

Minimum Sick Leave

Minimum unpaid leave

Govt action to promote remote working

A reduction in the defence budget

Free third level education for all

Single payor

He's for all the above, right comrades?

timcrim, lymon, adamvaught,

Thanks I feel much better.

I thought the "likeable enough" comment was misinterpreted as well. He also tried to explain how the next day on GMA, and I don't doubt it. Partly, though, because that is not - and never has been - his style. As for the handshake thing, my first impression looking at the picture was that he wanted to get out of the way. Hillary was clearly reaching to shake Kennedy's hand, and Obama, having had the huge endorsement that very day, did not want to even remotely look like he was trying to hog Ted, so shrinks away, and now look how it's spun.

There is a picture in one of the comments on DK (I don't know how to link it) that appears to show Obama turning to talk to Clair McCaskill, and she says that is, in fact, what he was doing.

"Likeable enough."

I'm going to take on more crack at this. Here is the transcript leading up to Obama's remark.

"SPRADLING: And I'd like to ask you this.

The University of New Hampshire Survey Center has been consistently trying to probe the minds of New Hampshire voters and get a sense of what they think about all of you. I'd be happy to report that the experience vs. change debate seems to be sinking it.

And what I'd like to get is to this: New Hampshire voters seem to believe that, of those of you on this stage, you are the most experienced and the most electable. In terms of change, they see Senators Obama and Edwards as the agents of change, in New Hampshire mindset.

My question to you is simply this: What can you say to the voters of New Hampshire on this stage tonight who see a resume and like it, but are hesitating on the likability issue, where they seem to like Barack Obama more?

CLINTON: Well, that hurts my feelings.

(LAUGHTER)

SPRADLING: I'm sorry, Senator. I'm sorry.

(APPLAUSE)

CLINTON: But I'll try to go on.

(LAUGHTER)

He's very likable. I agree with that. I don't think I'm that bad.

OBAMA: You're likable enough, Hillary. No doubt about it.

(LAUGHTER)

CLINTON: I appreciate that."

The question was why should a voter chose Obama over Hillary because he his more likeable. Obama said "you're likable enough." As in, you're likeable enough for someone to vote for you over me.

Worded perfectly? No. But in context, it doesn't seem mean-spirited or nasty to me at all.