That said, this is not just about policy, but about temperament. You're never going to be able to please everyone, but a good leader can gain acceptance for his ideas or at the very least respect from those who disagree with him or her. This is a quality you see in Obama but is notably absent in the shrillness of Clinton and the “with us or against us” disposition of W.

SD: The Democratic Party lacks party discipline almost to a fault. If enough Democrats are elected to office, you'll see divisions among the ranks. Such differences won't be as extreme as pro-choice vs. anti-abortion legislation, but they can account for what the policy looks like (i.e. banning certain late term procedures, etc.) — similar to what dreamy-eyed bi-partisan efforts would ultimately look like on such a policy.

Also, SD, I share your concerns that public financing might favor seated incumbents who have the power of name recognition and inertia, but I don't see it as necessarily favoring Democrats. Plenty of activist, inertia-affected Republicans out there, too. And not all private sector people looking to get into politics are Republicans… That's a very stereotypical and myopic view IMHO.

Unless you have term limits and adopt a part time legislation, public financing rewards unions, NGO. and activist and punishing private sector individuals who want to get started in politics.

As the majorities of the Democrats get bigger in the House and Senate, the Democratic Party will be enable to look more moderate while actually adopting more liberal policies. When the Democrats get more than 60 seats in the Senate, moderate Senators will be able to vote to close debate and then vote against the actual bill while knowing that it will get more than 50 Democratic votes.

Does anyone really believe that a politicians from Chicago, one of the bluest areas in the country, really knows anything about bipartisan consensus?

SCHIP was an expansion of an entitlement program that has been filibustered by the Republicans.

It was passed and then vetoed by the President.

Well, although not that many D's since Sam Nunn have suited me, I can “observe” how Obama's personality/demeanor has worked to produce a considerable following.

The true test of anyone's bipartisanship, though, will only come if the composition of the Congress requires it.

But McCain-Kennedy immigration bill was a disaster that almost no Repubican supported except for McCain, Graham, and President Bush. The rank and file Republicans revolted against the Republican leadership of the legislation.

SCHIP was an expansion of an entitlement program that has been filibustered by the Republicans. I do not see much Bipartisanship.

Outlawing free travel and jet rides from lobbyist was a no-brainer for all politicians. However, if you look at Senator Obama's new proposals they include campaign finance reform that will destroy the Republican Party and but liberal activist in most elected offices. Not exactly bipartisan.

Do you mean you wish to see liberal policies enacted, or like some here have already shown the proclivity towards, spend even the next four years still wallowing in the rearward looking disease of the mind called BDS?

If it's possible, in the next president, I want to see a strong repudiation of the Bush years along with a real attempt at bringing America together to solve our biggest problems.

This is a great post because it captures with smarts and eloquence what a whole lot of people are going through. Mr. Moran, it would seem, is have a bad case of sour grapes.

Senator Obama is just picking up the shrinking number of moderates who are still capable of voting for candidates in either party. I doubt if any fiscal conservatives or social conservaitves will vote for Obama. However, I could see a large number of upper middle class suburbanites (lawyers, doctors, government workers) voting for Obama because of the ineptness and stupidty of the Bush Administration. However, I doubt that those upper middle class whites really support the open borders, wealth redistribution, nationalizing healthcare, increased affirmative action, and higher taxes that Senator Obama is proposing. Yet, since the Republicans have no credibility on any of their proposals, those educated suburbanites have no were else to go but to Senator Obama. That is why he spend so little time talking about issues but has been reduced to his tent revival speech.