Who are the Evil Geniuses that Really Control Washington?

Via Marc Ambinder, here’s what the new Politics of Hope* has to say for itself:

*Of course Hillary Clinton really is the candidate favoured by much of the Democratic establishment. But that’s at least partly because, for better or worse, she’s something of a known quantity. Beyond platitudes and an apparently limitless belief in the transformational power of his personality (something that might concern some people) it remains hard to say exactly what Barack Obama is for. He’s a great symbol and he might well prove a better President than Clinton (not necessarily such a high bar to clear, granted), but…

Also, isn’t it usually the case that the candidate who first says his/her opponent is a creature of the lobbyists and special interests in Washington is also always – or at least 90% – of the time, the candidate who loses? Don’t voters tend to think that the lobbyists have the goods on all politicians? This line of attack might be good for firing up the donor base but does it really work with voters or does it instead have a faint whiff of desperation about it?

Still, perhaps this is another sign that Obama has realised the short-comings of his (gruesome) holier than thou approach to the campaign.