>A freshman rep from a safe Dem district with no committee
>chairmanship or power post is driving repugs batshit and I
>don't get it

Obama changed the game. If this is 30 years ago, yes it probably doesn't make sense... but Obama went from State Senator to President in 4 years. The precedent has been set for a young, energetic personality to make quantum leaps through the Dem ranks and skip over the 'paying your dues" stage. Republicans will continue to spend a lot of energy attacking the bright new stars and try and head them off before they gather too much momentum.