Sigh. Well, There's Still 48 States Left!

So Obama didn't carry the New Hampshire primary.

Not that Clinton winning is necessarily bad, of course; she's a perfectly qualified candidate and all that, but... well, it's like when I was talking it over with my sister.

"Yeah, Hillary would do a good job," she said.

"Yeah," I said.

There was a pause.

"But she's not cool," I said.

"No," my sister said. "She's not cool."

(Then we discussed the absurdity of Ms. Clinton trying to get work done at the same desk upon which her husband once received... well, let's put it this way. Historical furniture or not, if I were her, I'd completely redecorate. Maybe even burn some sage.)

It is also a little troubling to see the two lead Democratic candidates engaging in "displays" of what is-though-it-is-trying-not-to-be their dominant brand characteristic. Clinton starts crying, and Obama starts invoking the Civil Rights Movement. We were doing so well, too, just keeping it about the issues. We don't need you to remind us that you are female/black. We're, like, totally aware of that.

Interestingly (one might say "obviously"), they're both choosing to display a part of themselves which their constituents have said is missing from the brand (Clinton, of course, a woman criticized for not being "emotional" or "soft" enough; and Obama, a true African American, criticized for not being "black" enough).

We'll see where that takes them.