It's true the Clinton's are a known quantity, and have dominated the Democratic Party for a while. But not well. Their "hold" has been irregular, more of threat than reality, more perceived as a possibility than exercised.

Obama certainly isn't as well defined, but clearly has to have significant support from larger, international interests. No one can get the money to run without that. Not McCain, Clinton, Romney, Huckabee, etc. It would be interesting to see who can call him at 2:00AM and get him.

Obama is clearly a very bright man, and as much his own man as anyone in the campaign. (A real stretch - I talked with a physician last night who has a partner who is also a Harvard Law graduate. His partner said that Obama was brilliant in school.) Obama seems to have substance and solidity.

As far as puppets of the larger interest, the Bushes and Reagan win the Oscars, Golden Globes and whatever else is given. Reagan acted like a president while the monied interests ran the government, and then Bush the Elder was appointed to carry on. At least he could carry on a conversation. Bush the Younger is an embarrassment to even the most expensive American educational systems, clearly not bright enough to hold his own in a big peoples world. Symbolically, a cheerleader for the real players.

I had public school eighth-grade classmates who at the time had command of the English language that evades Bush even now.

Arf