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The Obama Question
Remember a few months ago when the Republicans spent an entire debate slamming Hillary Clinton? ABC sets this up as the Obama debate with a great question: Why not Barack Obama?
The candidates cite his health care plan, his lack of experience, etc. Only Mike Huckabee decides to praise him—probably to remind people of his own co-victory in Iowa. Paraphrased: Sen. Obama has changed the way Americans look at politics. It’s not a horizontal line anymore: not just left-right, conservative-liberal. He transcends labels. He’s exciting people about voting who have never voted before.
And that's coming from a Republican. Obama couldn’t have asked for a better endorsement if he'd written it himself. It's also something Huckabee could regret saying if, however unlikely, he ends up facing Obama in the general.
UPDATE 10:32 p.m.: What does Obama think of all this attention? He weighs in during the Dem debate: "I was flipping back and forth between the Republicans and football."
About Christopher Beam
- Christopher Beam is a Slate political reporter.
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