Very Little Happens in Indiana...

5/6/2008, 9:48 PM

Came in a few minutes ago and, to my surprise, found that Indiana is still too close to call. Not what I expected.

While I won't get this posted until tomorrow, I thought I might scribble a little bit as I watch this.

Ack, the talking heads are talking about "Operation Chaos" from Limbaugh... The talking heads are saying that Obama's strength in Indiana tonight, whether or not he wins this one in the end, may be enough to tip this thing…

Really? Really? Are they watching the same primaries that I have been? Are they watching the same campaign?

Carl Bernstein is now saying that sources in the campaign are saying that Hillary will be looking for the vice-presidency. One source, according to Bernstein, said that she would demand it. He is saying that she really is not looking to return to the Senate.

Interesting. I thought she would be the one of the two to say no if it was offered. I thought I could see Obama on her ticket, but not Hillary on the bottom of an Obama ticket. Of course, others are saying that she wouldn't take it, and still others are saying that he wouldn't offer it.

What does this mean? Nothing, probably.

Twenty minutes until more numbers from Lake County, a voice on the phone is telling John King.

Another question: Is this interesting, or is this, like the Daily Show graphics suggested the other day, the Bataan Death March to the Nomination?

Are there shenanigans in Lake County? Is CNN trying to make news out of nothing? The mayor of Hammond, Indiana is on saying that "something corrupt may be happening." He is a Clinton supporter. "I'm not saying that anything improper is happening, but it looks like something improper is happening," he says.

Spin. This supports my view, that while Clinton may take a VP role when all is said and done, she will do anything it takes first to get the top spot. She may go legal, she may tear up the convention… I would guess the idea is, get the spot, at what ever cost, then heal the party later.

Most of the votes just came in. It's looking like she will put this off, at 10:09 PDT.

Anyway, the earliest I'd expect Clinton to drop out would only be after the Minnesota and Florida issues are definitively settled. And those states, depending on how they are handled, while maybe not securing the nomination for her outright, may give her the fuel she needs to keep her hopes alive.

So, really, tonight is mildly interesting, but it probably will not settle anything.

10:13, and CNN just called it for Hillary. Closer, by far, than expected, but tonight, as they say, met expectations on both sides.

And, most likely, nothing changes...

Still Napping...

Okay, are the primaries over yet? Do we have a candidate? No? Okay, back to sleep…

Sure, Guam, seven votes? Two delegates each. Sure, Indiana and North Carolina on Tuesday? Will these settle anything?

Is this damaging the party? Maybe. That will be impossible to tell until November. I do, however think, if this thing gets ugly in the backrooms, then it will. I've seen some numbers where it looks like supporters of one candidate are starting to get too bitter about the other candidate to support them in the general, but I think these wounds, at this point, can heal when faced with the possibility of a John McCain, Skippy II, administration.

Is this making the eventual nominee stronger? Well, perhaps if it is Obama, but if it is Hillary, I think she already has the political machine necessary for success, so in her case, it is really only a matter of not pissing too many Democrats off before the general.

Okay, so there are rabid preachers and there was something about McCain hanging out in strip joints when he was younger. There are too many talking heads getting paid for too little real news on the television.

In Portland, it is a spectacular day. I am heading back into a book on Stalinism for one of my history classes, soaking up the sun, and hiding from this damn election some more.