I came from a poor immigrant family. My mother was born in Sicily and English was not her first language.  At 14 or so she was pulled out of school to work in a factory.  She and her siblings lost their parents early on and were raised by an abusive, brother-in-law who believed education was a waste of time.  My mother was an intrinsically intelligent woman.   But her language was not grammatically correct.  It was basically "of the street", i.e. of her neighborhood.  Her sisters were the same.  My cousin, who was really into being accepted in the white anglo saxon circles, was always correcting her mother's language, gestures, dress.  I was younger and watched as my cousin told my Aunt what utensils to use, how to dress, and corrected her grammar in front of us.  It just bugged me.  I wondered why she would do that.  As the years went on, I saw my Aunt lose self confidence and sense of self.  Even my own mother was effected.  When my mother visited at my college, her normal vivacious, funny, warm persona disappeared. DUH. It took me a while to understand.  My mother had learned to be uncomfortable with who she was.  

I saw that with Jesse and Charlie and Al.  Some folks are uncomfortable not only with their challenge to the status quo but with HOW they challenged: their speech, their look, their inability to blend.  NOW let me clear, I do not believe Senator Obama has changed who he is to run for office.  I simply think who he is fits more with what some want those "different than them" (whether it be race or gender) to be: the same.   I still find it odd that comparing Senator Obama to Jesse was perceived as an insult but comparing him to JFK got an almost spiritual sigh.  Same thing with women. (Some) liberals would be much more comfortable with a Selibius than with Hillary Clinton.  One comes off, in my view, as the classic, midwestern, unassuming, soft spoken woman.  The other is the classic "ambitious," assertive, comfortable with her own successes woman.

Rangel is actually working to push through a health care plan that many Dems say they want.

There is no Democrat that other Democrats consider sacred - they'll do back flips to protect undeserving Republicans - but have no problem throwing other Dems under the bus.  If Obama were wise, he'd look at both Clinton's and Carter's troubles with their Democratic Congresses and take heed.  

Charlie Rangel isn't a spiteful man as far as I can tell.  He is focused and pretty committed to his principles.  The way you forge a compromise with him is to embrace him.  Alienating him will likely only free him up to do his own thing and at the end of the day - his power and influence as Chairman of Ways and Means does in fact eclipse that of the President's in a lot of important areas.

This has nothing to do with Clinton for me.

Bet Jesse Jr. didn't threaten Charlie with a primary if he didn't switch to Obama!

Charlie is a down-home Clinton Dem...my kinda guy.  In a class war, my money is on Charlie and the Clintons...long-term, of course.