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It looks as though Hillary and John McCain have claimed the Florida primaries. Giuliani's votes never materialized, so he is effectively out of the race. Romney ran a close second to McCain, but as the primaries move to the more liberal states, McCain's lead should increase. Huckabee's chances died in Florida. Romney has the money to continue through Super Tuesday, but it will be a waste of money. Is it over for the rest off the pack?
I watched the South Carolina Democratic debates that turned out to be the Clinton/Obama debate. The press focused on their ridiculous spat over he said, she said--all minutiae. While this may be titillating, it is of little help to the American voter. The striking thing, to me, about the debate was Hillary and Obama's cutthroat competition to deliver the biggest bribe to potential voters. Amid the promises of tax rebates to those who pay no taxes, extended unemployment benefits, mortgage bailouts, health care programs, and other swag, no one cared to notice that the two politicians were offering up their neighbors' money in exchange for votes.
When politicians reach in your pockets to take your money to buy themselves votes, it is theft. Repeat, it is theft. No wonder the American voter has lost confidence in the system. How will it all end?
Hillary edged out Obama by a couple of percentage points in New Hampshire, but the most of the pundits had it the other way around. I wonder if her lead will hold when she gets to Michigan and South Carolina. New Hampshire has a very small African-American population, whereas Michigan and South Carolina have a much larger percentage of African-Americans.
Will Hillary or Obama play better in the Bible Belt?
Huckabee must have been surprised at the results in New Hampshire. McCain beat him by a 4-1 margin. Whether Romney was surprised, we'll never know, but I'm sure he thought it would have fared better. Why didn't Rudy do better?
Obama lead Hillary by nine percentage points and Huckabee finished 11 points ahead of Romney. Questions: Does this mean Hillary is dead in the water? Or, was Obama's win just a fluke peculiar to the Midwest? After all, Obama is a next door neighbor to the Iowans, so to speak. What about the New York and California primaries? Will these two states prove to be Hillary strongholds or will they fall to Obama?
Will Huckabee run strong only in the Midwest and South, the Bible Belt? Or, does he have broad appeal and strike a resonant chord with the average American? What about Rush Limbaugh's warning about nominating Huckabee: he claims the Democrats are not attacking Huckabee now because they want to go against him in November -- and crush, once and for all, the Christian Right.
Will New Hampshire be a replay of Iowa?
