peggy agar don't get no respect (but she's right)

Poor Peggy Agar -- Usually she's out by some godforsaken highway in the middle of the night, reporting on the bad driving conditions.  Today, for once, she gets a good, daylight assignment:  try and get close enough to Barack Obama to ask a question.

So off she goes to Sterling Heights, where Obama was walking around one of the last Chrysler plants standing.  And when he comes within 3 feet, she quick shouts out her question:  "What are you gonna do to help American auto workers?"  

Apparently not expecting a Detroit reporter to be around when anything important is happening, Obama brushes past her with a "Hold on one second, sweetie," but doesn't address the question.  Unfortunately, Agar says, he didn't address it later, either -- or, more importantly, in his comments to the auto workers.

When she got home, there was a message from Obama on her machine, apologizing for not getting to her question, and for calling her sweetie.  I'm sure Peggy Agar's been called worse, just being a reporter in Kwame Kilpatrick's kingdom.  Apology accepted, she said -- but he still didn't answer the question.  Which is actually a very good question.

I'm an Obama supporter, but Peggy Agar makes a good point:  he needs to get a stronger message for those working class men & women, white & otherwise, who Hillary Clinton has been so effectively connecting with lately.  I want to see that, but I haven't yet.  "He never spoke about the workers' biggest concern:  their future," Agar reported.   That is a BIG omission.  There's no way anybody, let alone a presidential candidate in this election year, should be talking to, of all people, auto workers in Detroit -- and not talk about how he knows they're under fire and what he's gonna do for them!  

I realize we still have time, and that Obama's a very smart guy and fast on the uptake and all that.  But I swear to God:  if he doesn't nail down and drive home a strong message the people will respond to, in this year when people are so ready to hear it --  If he turns out to be another understated, patrician, no-rough-stuff type like Kerry was, even as they were flattening him -- If we lose this election, which should be winnable by a freakin stuffed animal with a tag that says "democrat" -- I am NEVER, NEVER going to vote again, in whatever country I end up living in.

I'm behind you, Barack Obama ... Don't make me wish I'd gone with Hillary!