Deconstructing the Obama victory...

The results are trickling in from South Carolina, presaging a significant Obama victory. Something like 81% of African-Americans voted for him, which suggests two conclusions you could draw. First, I wonder if it is true, as pundits suggest, that the Clintons have succeeded in defining Obama as the "African-American" candidate in the race and somehow marginalized him? You would think not by looking at the Iowa results, but...I'm no pundit or political scientist(even if i DID stay at a Holiday Inn express lately). Second, maybe basic tribalism kicked in again here. I think you could say women were outraged in New Hampshire by the admittedly misogynist coverage of Hillary Clinton in the media after Iowa, and turned out to give a big middle finger to the pundits and avenge the slights they felt Hillary received. Could it be that we've seen the same reaction among African-Americans re some of the punches the Clintons and their surrogates threw at Barack Obama? And if the latter interpretation is on the mark, can we now move beyond race and gender and get some serious discussion of where the two leading contenders stand on the key issues, namely the ones Tomcat reiterates all the time on politics plus--the ones that never seem to get asked in the lust for horserace gossip?

I'm not confident, but i AM encouraged. It's not over, but the possibility is STILL OUT THERE that I might have the chance to cast a vote for President with joy in my heart, rather than with my thumb and forefinger clasped firmlly over my nose.