A reader writes:
You called it:
"[T]he biggest self-inflicted wound since -- well John Kerry and Harry Reid."
Your vision is much too narrow. The worst self inflicted wound since McGovern, when a weak, spineless candidates allowed a hated war time president to remain in the White House and cemented the historic "southern shift" strategy that prevailed for a generation.
Obama is an historic opportunity for the Dems of FDR proportions, a chance to remake the political landscape for a generation or more. And people like Krugman and his proxy Hillary, who want only political war, narrow short term score settling, are the alternative. If the Dems don't nominate Obama, and go for Hillary or Edwards, they will have shown themselves to be as corrupt, opportunistic, hypocritical, and small minded as the Republicans.
I say this as a life long Democrat who in 40 years of voting has only voted once for a Republican (who was running against Phil Gramm for congress). This really is potentially an historic turning point. To blow it will be just too awful to contemplate. Sometimes political decisions have long lasting and significant consequences. It doesn't happen very often, but this really is one of those times.