Obama says of McCain and Palin "You can't just recreate yourself. You can't just reinvent yourself. The American people aren't stupid."

Oops. But, change? Yes, we can. The possibility to redefine and reinvent yourself is absolutely central to the American experience. It's at the heart of the immigrant story. Come...

Recently, in liberal, enlightened Ann Arbor, at a home accessory store, I was in the checkout line behind an older black couple. The cashier asked the man for ID as he paid with a credit card. She took my credit card without question. I noticed this small difference, but didn't...

For much of the Democratic primary season, Sen. Barack Obama has strategically avoided race by attempting to transcend it.

In his ambitious speech responding to criticism of his affiliation with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., Obama took the issue head on and placed it at the center of political conversation....

Yes, Michigan voters teed off in January on about the third hole. It was imperfect to say the least, but it was our shot -- a statewide open primary early in the schedule.

On the Democratic side with no presidential candidates campaigning (except for Kucinich), a mysterious candidate named "Uncommitted"...

Political Science Fiction by Celeste Whiting

Everyone had left the hall except the Secret Service and Obama, who lingered behind the podium. He was reviewing his notes and looking up at the balcony seats. It had been a spectacular rally -- a momentum builder.

"Excuse me, Senator Obama. Have you...

Go ahead and kvetch, blogger. Though you are clever, well read, socially conscious with a generous progressive heart - even a talented writer - you lack access. And in this world, access matters. Ask Helen Thomas, she'll tell you. But if you lack access, why not try fiction? Political science...

Did Michigan's "uncommitted" vote reveal anything about race?

On the heels of the Michigan primary, race has become a central issue among Democratic candidates, pundits of all persuasions and voters yet to participate in their state primaries. CNN exit poll results released Tuesday night continue to fuel speculation that Sen....

Why did Romney trounce McCain in Michigan? Of the two, Romney expressed an audacious hope for our economy and manufacturing base.

He told a story people in Michigan hunger to hear and he made it personal. He was born here. His father headed up American Motors and was governor. His...

The following piece is published on Our Michigan as well as HuffPost's OffTheBus.

Our embarrassing primary saga appears resolved. The Michigan Democratic Party voted to endorse the January 15 primary as their method for choosing a presidential nominee. The state Republican Party continues to stand...

The following piece was produced for HuffPost's OffTheBus.

The Michigan Court of Appeals said it needs several more days to decide if the state's primary election law is unconstitutional. The court is considering whether primary election voting records should be public record or can become the...

The following piece is published on Michigan Messenger as well as OffTheBus.

When Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed legislation changing Michigan's presidential primary to January 15, 2008 Republican and Democratic supporters predicted it would highlight Michigan's issues nationally and boost the economy. Instead, the January date has brought division...

The following piece was produced by the Huffington Post's OffTheBus project.

Tuesday afternoon, as Republican presidential candidates readied for debate in Dearborn, Michigan, Democratic presidential candidates withdrew from Michigan's renegade early primary. Edwards, Biden, Obama, Richardson, Kucinich and Clinton believe in playing by the rules.

Although their interpretations...

The following piece was produced by the Huffington Post's OffTheBus project.

The GOP presidential debate in Dearborn, Michigan will mark the second time in a month that GOP presidential candidates will have blessed Michigan with their presence. Democrats, where are you? Don't you want to run out in front...

Yesterday, New York Times columnist, David Brooks (A Reality-Based Economy) gave us a peek at the rhetorical and semantic tricks that will be used against Democrats' persuasive populist message. The Dems must be on the right track, because Brooks tries so hard to discredit the message. And what is...