redblueamerica.com

aren't that big, as Kevin Drum points out. The big difference is rhetoric.

In domestic policy, public opinion is king, and one of the things Obama has going for him is the possibility that he could genuinely shift public opinion in a more liberal direction — something that Hillary would probably have a harder time doing.

The obvious comparison here is Ronald Reagan. Whatever else you think about his policies or his grasp of the facts while in office, the man was known as "The Great Communicator" for a reason. The power of the presidential bully pulpit maybe isn't as important as the power to push the button on a nuclear bomb, but it's still extremely important -- especially if you want to move your agenda.