I think John Edwards thinks it is possible to make this a two MAN race if he beats Hillary...Again. I don't think he figures a first place over Obama is possible but the dynamics change greatly when she leaves. (and I think she will, but who the heck knows)

If they head to SC with Hillary gone, things get much more interesting. Edwards won SC last time but Obama stands to do very well there this time. The Edwards events I've been to there had roughly 25% blacks in attendance but the Dem registration is about 50%.

The question is who do Hillary's people go for when she's done?

If they head to SC with Hillary gone

Wow. Two weeks ago I could not have imagined anyone even suggesting such a thing in this or any alternative universe.

You really think that's a possibility?

I don't think she'd go easily. Josh Marshall seems to agree with the others above, generally. All did well, but Edwards performed best and Obama won by not screwing up as the new front runner.

On likability, Obama's still my favorite. I'd support either, but for some reason I think Hillary might be the better leader. Her experience and family intellect, maybe.

My likability of Edwards is not as strong as it was four years ago, but I still like him on most things.

While watching I told a friend of mine "They (Edwards and Obama) have made a deal."

On another note we had just been talking about the $90k cap on social security taxes and how that should be abolished. Mr Roadbuilder makes $5 million and pays same amount in dollars of ss tax as someone making $90k. I suspect that is something of which the typical person is not aware. Then Obama made the same statement a couple minutes later when responding to Hillary. I don't know how other candidates view that issue.
But Obama got some plus points from our group.

I think we'll hear things like that if Hillary places third but in reality, I think she's in through Feb. 4 no matter what.

My biggest problem with Hillary and to a lesser extent Obama is that they they were simply unable or unwilling to fight the enemy within. I look at votes cast on the war, bankruptcy bill, and Hillary's incredibly stupid support for Joe Lieberman and I can't bring myself to think that she understands what America's problem really is.

Nor do I think she will, or even can, change it.

Obama..Maybe.

Edwards...For sure!

You really think that's a possibility?

Anything's possible, but I hardly think it probable. Clinton's war chest is huge, and it would be more than premature to make this sort of call prior to Super Duper Tuesday. I mean, how many delegates are still up for grabs???

Now, as far as the debate goes, a couple of things struck me:

1) Clinton is passionately trying to have it both ways as far as her record goes, and by this I mean that she alternately distances herself from Bill Clinton in order to make it appear as though she stands on her own, and by turns takes credit for those accomplishments. While I wouldn't go so far as to call this dishonest, I do find that it's something of a tightrope act. I don't question Clinton's métier in the face of GOP attacks, but that being said, I don't know that I buy her as "agent of change," but by the same token, it's difficult to test records that don't exactly exist. None of these candidates has held federal elected office for long, and the record of Democratic accomplishments for the Senate in the Bush administration (and as the minority party during Clinton's administration) isn't something to run on.

2) Taking a long view on Edwards: This probably isn't Edwards' year. If he can collect a few victories along the way, he might make it far enough to be something other than a broker at the DNC, but he's still got the appearance of a guy running a strong second. Whether that second is to Obama or Clinton is the operative question, I'm afraid.

3) The further that Richardson goes in this thing, and the more I see him, the more I think that he'll make a fine appointee in the next Democratic administration. He looks good on paper but ...

3) The moderators' "gotcha" question of the night - "is there anything you regret having said" - was lame.

4) I think I've gone from the "undecided" column into the "firmly undecided" column. I'll probably be running the tally in my head right as I go to the voting booth, although I'll be good and tense on that day for other reasons. To wit, I'm mighty good and pissed off at the Davidson County Election Commission right now and I might say something decidedly ugly not related to the candidates.

____________________________

With the possible exception of things like box scores, race results, and stock market tabulations, there is no such thing as Objective Journalism. The phrase itself is a pompous contradiction in terms.

John Edwards has gotten into second place over Hillary with half the money and essentially a mainstream media blackout. If he beats Hillary on Tuesday, the entire dynamic of this race will change.

Obama has outspent Edwards 3-1 up until now and is not that far ahead.

This statement coming out of Senator Clinton's office during the Roberts confirmation hearing turned me irrevocably against her in the primaries:

...Senator Clinton intends to vote to confirm Judge Roberts, "unless some unforeseen development occurs."

"Look, we're not thrilled President Bush is in office and gets to make these choices," said the source, "but we have to make the best of the situation until the next election!...[Hillary] is simply doing what is right for the country, not MOVEON.ORG."

Clinton flipped eventually, but why would any sentient democrat even consider voting to confirm to the Supreme Court the man who orchestrated the decision that stole Florida for the Republicans and installed the worst President in history?

why would any sentient democrat even consider voting to confirm to the Supreme Court the man who orchestrated the decision that stole Florida for the Republicans and installed the worst President in history?

Here's a refresher on that vote, Steve:

Twenty two Democrats voted in favor of confirmation -- including frequent critics of the administration's judicial picks, such as Vermont's Patrick Leahy and Wisconsin Russ Feingold. So too did Vermont Independent Jim Jeffords, who left the GOP caucus in 2001 to work with the Democrats. In addition to Byrd, Leahy and Feingold, Democrats who voted to confirm Roberts included Montana's Max Baucus, West Virginia's Robert Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, New Mexico's Jeff Bingaman, Delaware's Tom Carper, North Dakota's Kent Conrad and Kent Conrad, Connecticut's Chris Dodd, South Dakota's Tim Johnson, Wisconsin's Herb Kohl, Louisiana's Mary Landrieu, Michigan's Carl Levin, Arkansas's Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor, Washington's Patty Murray, Florida's Bill Nelson, Nebraska's Ben Nelson, Arkansas's Mark Pryor, Colorado's Ken Salazar and Oregon's Ron Wyden.

None dare call it corruption...

____________________________

With the possible exception of things like box scores, race results, and stock market tabulations, there is no such thing as Objective Journalism. The phrase itself is a pompous contradiction in terms.

I'm pretty familiar with that vote. It depressed me to realize how deep was the shit we were in. Hillary did not change her vote because of conviction. The reasoning put forward by her staff pissed me off.

And what the hell were Byrd, Dodd, Leahy, and Feingold thinking?

I want my next president to understand the nature of our real enemies domestic.

Yeah, Edwards may be more progressive and could be more passionate about the kind of change I want. So there is that. Obama and Hillary are said to have pretty darn good environmental positions. Edwards may go a step farther by being against liquid coal. Jolly good!

Thats how many democratic delegates are up Feb 5th.

Clinton,Edwards,Obama & Richardson will stay in till then.

The Democratic delegate rules are such that its hard for frontrunners to completly destroy the field.Conversly its hard for a candidate thats running 2nd or third to get ahead.

The key will be the delegate count on Feb 6th.

Wis is the 19th...always a humdinger

The next big day is Mar 4th..444 delegates..Ohio & Tex vote the 4th.

Then the oddest primary...all by its self in April is Pa. on the 22nd.