Yeah, when you have very little to be inspired by and you can't inspire people yourself name drop someone that is inspiring or did something inspiring.
Especially when they're dead and can't call you out.
As for the inspirational angle, I think this is why Hillary benefits from the current situation. Obama is the inspirational candidate, and if he gets bogged down in a fight he loses his freshness. If Americans think this is a two-way fight then he is at a serious disadvantage. If they view Hillary as trying to smear him, then he can still cling to his mantle of hope.
If I was an Obama advisor, I'd suggest backing off. Give Hillary enough rope and she may hang herself. There's no doubt she wants this more than anything and is willing to say or do anything to become President. Restraint is key in dealing with the overly ambitious. People don't respond well to a candidate who thinks they deserve to be President, which is precisely why Hillary's campaign has faltered. If Obama gets too caught up in the mudslinging, however, she will win.