That’s a problem in fly-over country, which is a whole helluva lot of the nation. The good news is that with the extended primary, in the states where the Obama campaign put forth a lot of effort introducing him and winning over voters (of which, alas, WV was not one — they weren’t here but for two very short fly in, fly out speeches), he’s already laid groundwork that the media storyline isn’t quite right and that there is a lot more to him.

I do think the campaign’s plans for an economic tour under the theme of “Change That Works For You” is a great introduction to Obama’s work as a community organizer and everything he has done in his career to help lift folks up when they hit a rough patch. Depending on how they work this, it could go a long way toward bringing folks around to an “us” mindset rather than thinking about him in an “us vs. them” sort of way. And that is a very good thing for November to cement that early and often.

We all have a job to do on that, too — talking to folks we know about specifics — especially McCain’s lobbyist cronies writing his policy positions versus Obama’s positions having come from fighting for poor folks in Chicago, from working with labor over the years, etc. I’ve found that is a good way to open a conversation door which would otherwise remain pretty closed.

FIGHT language is one part of it, I think. Both Clinton and Edward used words like FIGHT all the time, and that’s something these sort of people want from their candidates. They aren’t as in to the whole “post partisan, let’s get past the bad feelings” things as Obama supporters — they don’t believe it in their guts. They need to be reassured that Obama cares about them and will fight hard for them. That’s the deal that Clinton sealed with her supporters “I am a fighter. I love you. I will fight for you.”

Women have watched Hillary take lemons (Bill’s philandering) and make lemonade with a twist. Her successful Senate run, and now her run for POTUS. They dream along with her that the ceiling is finally going to be broken. They won’t get to the White House – but maybe that elusive promotion will finally be theirs, or that rais they have deserved for years.

Sure Hillary isn’t ‘like them’ in that she went to Yale, and has earned over 100 million dollars in the last 8 years, that she was First Lady, and now a sitting US Senator from one of the biggest states in the US. But she is like them in that she has had those same experiences in her life. And is still having them (white bitch month, nutcracker dolls, etc). And now they feel like she ran up against the glass ceiling – and unfortunately – it is still there. She was unable to break it. And that fact means that all their dreams are now somewhat destroyed as well.

Most of them will go on – and they will vote for Obama. They understand that McSlime means no more Roe, more crap like the Ledbetter case and overturning the Violence Against Women Act. More war. More dead kids coming home in flag-draped coffins. More inner-city kids dying from drugs and drive-by shootings. So they will vote for Obama. Maybe holding their collective noses – but they will.

Some, like Harriet Christian will not. And I don’t think there is anything he or anyone else can say to her and others like her that will change her mind. She is simply too hurt.