In the Senate when she faced what she described as “the hardest decision she has ever had to make” – the decision whether to go to war in Iraq – she cast her vote for war. This could have been a courageous chance to defend the vote as correct despite the subsequent repercussions or to admit she was wrong. Instead, she tied herself in knots trying to rationalize her vote and her subsequent strident anti-war rhetoric and went on to attack Obama’s stand against the war as “mere words.”

Despite her policy wonk persona, and her claims of being qualified to be commander-in-chief, Hillary’s real experience lies not in real life leadership or war and diplomacy but in the political war room. She is an expert not in accomplishment but in the never ending campaign. This is exactly what she is waging today.

In the past when an opponent criticized her or her husband the plan was always to attack their credibility by whatever means necessary and marginalize them whenever possible. She has employed this same tactic against Barack Obama.

But Obama is not Ken Star, or Newt Gingrich, or Rick Lazio. Obama is the first credible African American presidential candidate and even now the likely Democratic nominee. Hillary’s scorched earth style may give her hope of victory but the longer it plays out and the uglier it gets the stronger the likelihood it leaves bitter feelings behind. In the identity politics of the Democratic Party attempts to marginalize Obama are going to be seen as marginalizing his community and raising racial tensions.

Hillary has never shown willingness to compromise and her entire career is based on refusing to face reality and instead fight tooth and nail for survival. Why would she suddenly decide to rise above it all and put her party first?

Deep down this has to worry Democrats.

The Republican response: Pass the popcorn.