McCain & Clinton Take New Hampshire

For anyone to prognosticate how this campaign is going to play out, their crystal ball is far clearer than mine. McCain's N.H. victory is no surprise, but it just further muddles the Republican picture. I would be happy with a McCain nomination, but I know a few of my conservative brothers and sisters will be reaching for the antacids over that one. Actually, I think any of the Republican nominees would be acceptable with the exception of Mike Huckabee, and I base that on his weakness in foreign policy and what his cynical trick on the eve of Iowa said about his character.

On the Democratic side, we've had the last four days of Obamamania and polls predicting a Hillary N.H. loss by ten points or more. That is just one more abject lesson in why reliance on polls is perilous at best - whether its placing bets on an election or, even worse, choosing how to govern. Beyond that, hopefully we will be spared more Obamalatio in the MSM for a few days, as well as more gender baiting from Gloria Steinem.

Hillary is clearly not inevitable, but her primary challenger, Obama, has nothing of substance to offer beyond a good smile and Kennedyesque rhetoric. That said, if one closes their eyes and listens to all his happy talk, it all sounds quite soothing, actually. As to Hillary, I can't close my eyes and listen to her. Both audibly and substantively, every utterance of hers grates down my spine like fingernails on a chalkboard.

I think the biggest change that will come out of New Hampshire is how Hillary chooses to campaign. She clearly cannot afford to sit on the fence and await coronation as she did in the run-up to Iowa. But we will see.

In any event, two down, forty-eight to go.