And the Winner Is . . .

No one, not really. Well McCain probably, but if you have been awake for the last couple of weeks you knew that one.

Here's the breakdown:

Alabama—Obama (20 delegates)/Huckabee (14 delegates)

Alaska—Obama (9)/Romney (12)

Arizona—Clinton (26)/McCain (50)

Arkansas—Clinton (23)/Huckabee (25)

California—Clinton (0)/McCain (0)

Colorado—Obama (13)/Romney (22)

Connecticut—Obama (26)/McCain (27)

Delaware—Obama (9)/McCain (18)

Georgia—Obama (27)/Huckabee (45)

Idaho (Dem only)—Obama (15)

Illinois—Obama (62)/McCain (54)

Kansas (Dem only)—Obama (23)

Massachusetts—Clinton (54)/Romney (21)

Minnesota—Obama (48)/Romney (36)

Missouri—Obama (30)/McCain (58)

Montana (GOP only)—Romney (25)

New Jersey—Clinton (51)/McCain (52)

New Mexico (Dem only)—STILL PROCESSING

New York—Clinton (127)/McCain (101)

North Dakota—Obama (8)/Romney (8)

Oklahoma—Clinton (24)/McCain (32)

Tennessee—Clinton (34/Huckabee (21)

Utah—Obama (14)/Romney (36)

West Virginia (GOP only)—Huckabee (18)

By my count this gives Clinton an additional 339 delegates (CNN says her total now is 783). Obama has 266 new delegates (CNN gives his total overall at 709).

On the GOP-side: McCain picked up 362 (his total is 559). Romney got 160 (total 265). Huckabee got 123 (169 total).

New Mexico is still counting and I haven't quite figured out why California awarded no delegates (can anyone explain, pls.??)

Cleary, McCain has the nomination about sewn up. He has almost double the number of delegates as Romney. And of course the race between Clinton and Obama is not quite so clear. Clinton took fewer states, but ones with bigger delegate totals. But with fewer than 100 delegates still separating them, things are still very much undecided.

Heck, maybe N.C.'s primary will mean something after all!

One last thing, I know that the ballots were printed long ago, so many who have dropped out of the races are still listed. Maybe some voters weren't aware enough to realize that, or maybe they were just protesting or paying homage to their fave, but I have to admit I got a warm and fuzzy feeling to see Edwards picking up votes in just about every state (God Bless the Okies—they gave him over 40,000 votes).

Uniquely American

For those of you in any of the 24 states having primaries today—GET OUT AND VOTE! If not, I will be very disappointed in you. (And yes the mother-tone was intended, see how I can do that even through cyberspace. Ah, the guilt-inducing power!!!)

And if my efforts to guilt you don't work, perhaps this quote will motivate you to get out there and vote for a change. 'Ole Dubya said this on February 4, 2005 to a single mother of three in Omaha, Nebraska:

"You work three jobs? . . . Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that."

Really George? Something tells me that she doesn't think it is fantastic or uniquely American.

350 days left.

Super Duper

Well kiddies, tomorrow will most certainly be the finish for the GOP and possibly the Dems—although those "Super" Delegates* may still keep the Obama/Clinton question in the air. (My guess now, is McCain takes the GOP nomination—that will kick up a shit storm among the Republican party faithful.)

There are 24 states with primaries of some sort:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Idaho (Dem only),
Illinois
Kansas (Dem only)
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana (GOP only)
New Jersey
New Mexico (Dem only)
New York
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Utah
West Virginia (GOP only)

Add to this the states that have already held primaries or caucuses:

Iowa, Wyoming, New Hampshire, Michigan, South Carolina, Nevada, Florida, Maine (GOP only)

That leaves 18 states that have not voiced some opinion in this election as of Tuesday, February 5, 2008.

Is it just me or those states getting the shaft a bit?

* "Super" Delegates—There are 842 delegates who get a free pass to the convention - governors, members of Congress and the Senate, chairs of the state's Democratic parties, former presidents and leading members of the party. Party chairman Howard Dean can also appoint a number of people to be delegates. All in all, those 842 delegates comprise about 40 percent of the total number needed to win the nomination. (Courtesy of www.npr.com.)

The Comeback Kids

I apologize for the late posting—I usually try to speak my piece early in the day, but I am afraid real life (ala work and the family) interfered. I can't believe they expect me to actually DO something to earn that paycheck!

But I digress. SO the people of New Hampshire have spoken and thrown a bit of a lifeline to the Clinton and McCain campaigns. What does this all mean? Frankly, from what I can tell, it means that it is still anyone's game. John Edwards is right, there are still 48 states to go. Although not all of those state's primaries hold as much weight, but there is clearly not a front runner for either party at this point.

I do take a bit of glee over the fact that so many of the pundits out there (yeah I mean you Chris Matthews continue to be such asses when it comes to the idea of a female candidate. Because let's face it, that is what is going on here, the fact that this female candidate is a Clinton, just makes it easy for them to browbeat her without appearing sexist. It isn't like Hillary is my first choice, I have made my love of Edwards plain (see my first post An Illustrious Kickoff), but I do support the idea that she is just as capable, just as intelligent as the remaining candidates. So her husband is a he-ho. Most of the Republican candidates are on their second or third marriages. Hillary and Bill at least stuck it out through thick and thin. (Isn't that what marriage is about?)

Frankly I am feeling a bit weary of it all at this point, but I am sure my interest will bounce back soon. After all, we have less than four weeks left until Super Tuesday (Feb. 5) when the real decisions will be coming down the pike.

On that note, here's a reason to get excited: Only 377 days left until Dubya is gone, the man who said, "It's about past seven in the evening here, so we're actually in different time lines." I wish that man was in a different space/time continuum.