The XX Factor: What women really think.

A Small Sigh for "Her"

In editing a piece about the election this morning, for the first time this season, I didn't replace "them" in a sentence referring back to the president with "him or her." We've only got XYs in contention now, and so "him" will do. It's a small thing, but it made me sad. Though not enough to sympathize much with your McCain-flirting friend, Melinda. The idea that Obama is an empty suit makes absolutely no sense to me now that I've finished reading his first book, Dreams From My Father. Anyone else have thoughts about it? Mine, for starters, is whew, lots going on in that man's brain, and the wonder is that after giving voice to all that anger-laced identity-searching he is actually a candidate for president. That book was a feast of complexity, which meant that I ate it up. Of course, that's not a direct response to your friend's concerns, which were about his mastery of policy. But in the context of worrying about Obama's relative lack of experience, it matters to me that this guy is really really smart.