It was the timing that surprised me. I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd dropped out after losing South Carolina _or_ after losing super tuesday. And in retrospect I guess I can see where he maybe wanted to choose the right milleu for the announcement, but I didn't see it coming.

The experience argument never ceases to blow my mind--for one thing, Obama actually has more experience serving in elected office than Clinton. More to the point--I don't think experience has ever won an election. As I stretch my mind back as far as I can remember details (around Eisenhower or so) I can think of a grand total of one election where the candidate with more 'experience' actually won (discounting re-elections).