Well there’s a bit of game theory in there: the old tit-for-tat. Game Theory says that if I punch you in the nose, you have to punch me back. That’s especially true in power politics when dealing with uncivil behavior. The only way to get me to act civilly, is to demonstrate that acting uncivilly hurts me. Every time I punch you in the nose, you punch me back. I won’t stop punching you in the nose until I realize that when I punch you in the nose, I am also punching me in the nose. At that point, the rational course, civility, becomes obvious.

In some cases, like reactionaries, civility is ignored. This was the case with Hitler before WWII – western diplomats couldn’t understand Hitler’s motives because he was acting irrationally. Same with the reactionary Republicans/Neocons these last few years. The reason is the same. They don’t care if the system continues as is, they want to over throw it.

Obama is powerless because he can’t hurt Hillary. She doesn’t care if she destroys the party (and she certainly doesn’t care about the virtues a black president would mean to the U.S. from an historical perspective). I’m not sure if some crazy person kidnapped Chelsea and Bill and said that they wouldn’t release them unless Hillary ended her campaign, I’m not sure she would stop even then.

As a matter of politics, Obama, at some point, has to demonstrate that he understands tit-for-tat and is able and willing to use it. If he doesn’t he’ll never earn the respect of the jackals. Not that their worth having respect of morally, but it’s a matter of keeping them from mucking things up. If they think the’ll get dinged they won’t act uncivilly.

I think Obama should pull in Hillary as the Vp and Bill as the Sec of State. And then then Hillary can say, “I think that Obama was not electable by himself, yet w/ me here as Vp, he is electable.”. I think this would be good to help make peace w/ women and low income whites who are nervous about Obama yet are happy w/ Hillary. Dream team !