Obama Fever — Catch it! (Or not)

I'll be voting in the Maryland Democratic Primary later today. As my readers surely know by now, I'll be voting for Senator Hillary Clinton. I feel very comfortable with my choice, although anxious about how she will do overall in what's being billed as the "Potomac Primary" (Maryland, DC, and Virginia). Both candidates have made the rounds in recent days, with Clinton doing numerous small venues, as Obama held only two rallies but in large arenas.

Watching the coverage makes me anxious. While Clinton's shown shaking hands with workers at the GM transmission plant, Obama's got crowds of young people waving signs and chanting. As Morra Aarons wites over at BlogHer:

Being a Hillary supporter is like being the person in the dorm who yells at her partying neighbors to shut up, because she's studying for a final exam. You know you have a good reason, but you’re a little annoyed at yourself for being such a pill.

I feel like a party pooper because I'm not shouting "Si, se puede!" But Senator Obama, se puede? Could I have some more details on how se puede?

Again from Aarons:

Depends on what you want from a President. Obama has exhibited great leadership. He has created a brand and a message and it works. He's brilliant and charismatic and he gets our zeitgeist. I suppose he can hire a great Cabinet, the way he clearly hired a crack campaign team.

Make no doubt about it — Barack Obama knows what he's doing. He knows America is desperate for change , and he has inspired record numbers of young people to come out and campaign for him under that banner. He makes passionate and inspiring speeches. On the campaign trail. But where has he made any of this historic movement toward change in his time in the Senate? As Joel Stein of the LA Times notes:

What the Cult of Obama doesn't realize is that he's a politician. Not a brave one taking risky positions like Ron Paul or Dennis Kucinich, but a mainstream one. He has not been firing up the Senate with stirring Cross-of-Gold-type speeches to end the war. He's a politician so soft and safe, Oprah likes him. There's talk about his charisma and good looks, but I know a nerd when I see one. The dude is Urkel with a better tailor.

So excuse me, Obama-ites, but will you please shut up?! The world is a mess right now, and I'm trying to study!