O'Malley had a lot to lose by appearing on the streets of Baltimore. He was heckled by passers-by. He was trashed by a fiction-writer who made money by trashing Baltimore in a sensationalized TV caricature of that city and its mayor. But O'Malley did return to Baltimore and he took the heat, not for photo-ops, but because he genuinely loves the city he has lived in most of his life and that loved him enough in return to give him 91% of their votes. His interview on MTP this morning was quite stirring and emotional. I believe he has honesty and courage, and I respect him more every time I see or hear him. He is not flashy, but he is a decent and logical man who reads Thomas Merton and theology in the morning. And I believe his executive experience, including the things that went terribly wrong, has taught him how to govern with compassion and nuance.

I'm not sure he will enter the race. I think he would like to, because he thinks that he has something to contribute in these very troubled times. I think that, as president, he would not be as confrontational as Bernie, but perhaps more effective. Bernie is like a prophet in the wilderness. He tells us why these are hard times, and he shows us exactly who is to blame. But prophets usually have only a handful of followers, and their job is to clear the way for those able to do the hard work of incremental change. Many people here, like myself, would do anything to get Bernie nominated and elected. But is he the right person to be president? Leading the country is not the same as leading a protest march.

Having said that, IMHO, either Bernie or O'Malley would easily defeat any of the republicans now in the field. They would simply tell the truth in their own way, and the truth would burn through the republicans' shabby veil of "patently BS" absurdities and contradictions.