Hillary Clinton - 'Will She Stay Or Will She Go Now'?:

WASHINGTON — Hillary Rodham Clinton is expected to concede Tuesday night that Barack Obama has the delegates to secure the Democratic nomination, campaign officials told the Associated Press, but Clinton's campaign manager denied the report.

The former first lady will stop short of formally suspending or ending her race in her speech in New York City, said the officials who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, because they were not authorized to divulge her plans.

However Terry McAuliffe, Clinton's campaign chairman, told CNN that AP is "100% reporting incorrectly."

It's a battle of the leaks at the moment. It appears Hillary Clinton's campaign is leaking information hinting or outright saying that she will concede tonight and throw her support behind Barack Obama. At the same time, spokespeople for the campaign are claiming that this is ridiculous and Clinton is prepared to fight on. There's two possible reasons for this confusion; Either Hillary's campaign is trying to save face in case she pulls off the miracle she's hinting at in South Dakota (Clinton's campaign is predicting a 25 point win and the latest polls have Obama up by 12) or they're planning for the after-party. There's a decent chance that if Barack Obama doesn't offer her the VP slot (which he won't) that she'll claim the media was responsible for her loses in South Dakota and Montana because they kept saying that she was going to drop out. Who wants to vote for a candidate that will drop out at the end of the day? Hillary would contend, no one.

Even if Hillary doesn't concede tonight, and there's a good chance that she won't completely drop out, this battle isn't over. She'll take a shot a VP, fail and then whine to anyone who will listen about how she wasn't given a chance because of the media's sexism. Oh, this isn't over at all. In fact, it's probably just begun...

The Rigors Of The Campaign Trail Are Getting To Terry:

Clinton campaign Chair Terry McAuliffe boldly combined flacking for Senator Clinton with an audition for A&E's Intervention in one completely loopy Morning Joe appearance. Clad in the most hideous shirt ever made, bearing a large bottle of rum, and braying at host Mika Brzezinski that they were going to drink on on the set of the show Wednesday morning.

Brzezinski responded to the overture with a noise that sounded like: "Weeehhhh-heeeheeeeheeeoookay," later adding, "...wow." But McAuliffe, despite being overtired, seemingly sauced, and on the run from Obama-supporting Puerto Rico based chupacabras, nevertheless effortlessly recited the campaign talking points, predicted a victory in South Dakota, and offered the somewhat presumptuous statement, "I don't think Hillary will declare victory tomorrow night." Then, it was off for some more pina coladas!

The video tells the tale much better. There are rumors flying around that Hillary will drop out tomorrow night in NYC but I'm skeptical. I think she's going to wait until Wednesday after Barack wins South Dakota and Montana and she'll feel out the super delegates. Then, when they flood to Obama, she'll drop out before Friday and, MARK MY WORDS, she will cry as she withdraws.

Stop The Presses?: Hillary to drop out, endorse Obama tomorrow?

Charlie Crist Wants You To Know That He Kissed This Lady:

How interested is Florida Governor Charlie Crist in being John McCain's VP runningmate? So much so that veteran GOP dirty trickster Roger Stone -- who coordinated a few dirty stunts in support of Crist during the 2006 gubernatorial campaign -- is quietly peddling a so-called "Charlie Crist sex tape." That's what Stone called it during a telephone conversation. And no, it is not a tape of Crist having sex with a guy. In fact, it isn't even X-rated. The video was seemingly staged to kill the rumors that Crist is gay.

Stone claims the tape -- which he discussed recently with Politics1, but didn't show to us ("I'm saving it for the national shows") -- "shows Charlie fooling around in a hotel elevator with his girlfriend ... They're making out." Adds Stone: "It was captured on a security camera in the elevator" last month. And Stone just conveniently happens to have a copy of the hotel's elevator surveillance tape, just when Crist's name is in play for the VP spot. Hmm. As for Crist's purported girlfriend -- presuming it is the same one he took as his date to the White House Correspondents Dinner in DC a few weeks ago -- she's still married (and not to Crist). Disclaimer: Always be skeptical of anything from Stone.

The tales of Crist's time at the Green Iguana are legendary and damn near everyone I speak to thinks that he's gay. One problem - no one has any proof. Also, many of the 'witnesses' who try to out Crist have checkered pasts to say the least. I, myself, could care less about what Charlie Crist does behind closed doors but it may become a major factor if he is chosen as McCain's running mate. The 'sex tape' rumors are just that - rumors at this point. Then again, what better way to prove you aren't gay than to circulate a video of you making out with a former 'Fear Factor' hottie? By the way, the woman above is Kelly Hayniger and she was also a 'Hottest Mom in America' finalist as well as a former Mrs. South Carolina.

One things for sure, if he's not gay she's a great catch...

Returning To The Today Show With A 'Major Announcement':



I have no problem admitting when I'm wrong. I was way wrong in suggesting a possible Couric comeback months ago. Though there was a slow crawl-back for a brief time for CBS in the ratings game those gains have now been erased. Katie has avoided the Today Show like a plague since she began her stint at CBS News and this 'major announcement' may just live up to the hype.

I don't think she's even dreaming of returning to the Today Show with her tail between her legs so let's speculate a bit on what exactly she will be announcing. We all know Bob Schieffer is staying on with CBS News as his surprise deal was reported some time ago. There's a decent chance Katie will announce her departure from CBS News and Bob Schieffer, even at 71-years-old, is a solid choice for her replacement. He's done well in the ratings before and you can really only go up from where CBS is at the moment. But where will Katie go?

There have been rumors flying around for weeks that Couric and CNN's Anderson Cooper would be switching places. I'm doubtful of this because why would Katie announce it on rival network NBC? There are two scenarios that do make sense. This whole thing could be a ratings ploy for some Today Show retrospective clip show. I'm not sure why they would do this because it doesn't fall on any particularly important anniversary for Today but it's a possibility. It seems a little more unlikely when you take in the fact that this is sure to drum up more speculation, as it is right now, that Katie and CBS are on the outs. The second and much more likely possibility is that Couric will be leaving CBS to do a 60 Minutes-style magazine show on NBC. Then again, there has been persistent rumors that she could be tapped to replace Larry King. But his contract was just renewed! I'm confused... I'll fill you in tomorrow with the details.

Update: That was fast. It appears there will be a joint cancer research telethon on all major networks and Katie Couric will be hosting it. Damn! That was the least exciting of the possibilities.

The Ugly Truth About The World's Most Famous Film Festival:

I'm about to go to a party hosted by Boujis nightclub, where, I've been promised, not only Harrison Ford will be holding court, but also Gael Garcia Bernal, Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman.

As I'm sitting watching all these rich, successful, famous, rich (did I already say that?) people waft past, I am thinking: this is probably the most glamorous place in the world to be right now. Scrub that. This is the only place to be.

But what I should have known is that the more lavish the occasion, the more exclusive the invite, the more velvet ropes you have to duck under, the more tall, inscrutable men with walkie-talkies you have to inveigle your way past - the more putrid the reality that lies beneath.

Let me give you an example, courtesy of my movie producer dinner date (who is constantly looking over my shoulder in case someone more interesting hovers into view; a common behavioural tic in Cannes), that illustrates how dissatisfied all this hobnobbing can make you.

'You can't just go to a party on the beach,' he says, drawing on a cigarette (people here don't give much truck to the smoking ban, or to rules about any illegal substances). 'You have to go to a party on a yacht. But it has to be a private party, and it can't be on anything smaller than an 85ft yacht.'

And what happens on these yacht parties at Cannes? Well, according to Liz Jones of the Daily Mail, extremely rich old men do large quantities of drugs, watch porn flicks and take their pick from a herd of 18-year-old models. Producers and other folks looking for funding sources do drugs with the old financiers so that they will trust them. Then they pitch movie ideas that either make these bigwigs feel guilty or turn them on. Everyone is more famous and more wealthy than everyone else and it's a dog eat dog, sleep with dog's carcass kind of world. If you wanted to know what goes down behind the velvet rope, who is sleeping with who and just how ridiculous the glitterati actually is, it's all there in print.

John McCain Prepares Weekend Powwow For Possible VP Picks:

IRVINE, California (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate John McCain will spend time this weekend with three politicians who have been mentioned prominently by Republicans as possible vice presidential running mates.

A McCain campaign official said on Wednesday McCain would host former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal at his ranch in Sedona, Arizona. A total of 10 couples were invited.

"It's a purely social weekend with friends, something he obviously likes to do from time to time," said the official.

Jindal is too inexperienced, the rumor mill says Crist has skeletons in his closet and Romney has made his interest clear. Mitt Romney polls very strong against other fantasy tickets and all signs point to a McCain/Romney ticket. Meanwhile, Obama's VP search begins.

The Money Continues To Fly In For Radio Host Glenn Beck:

Conservative radio and television host Glenn Beck has just finished signing a huge new two-book deal with Simon & Schuster imprint Threshold Editions. According to a source with knowledge of the deal, the agreement will net Mr. Beck, the host of Headline News' "Glenn Beck," approximately $3 million. The initial print run will be a whopping 750,000 copies.

This past fall, Threshold Editions published Mr. Beck's "An Inconvenient Book," which immediately debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. According to Executive Vice President and Publisher Louise Burke, Threshold Editions has shipped over half a million copies of "An Inconvenient Book," with no returns to date, making it a big hit for the imprint.

Ms. Burke said that Mr. Beck's next book will be a work of fiction, based heavily on the real events of his childhood (including the death of his mother during his teenage years) and will be titled "The Christmas Sweater." The holiday-themed tome is expected to hit the bookshelves in Fall 2008. Throughout the holiday season, Mr. Beck will promote the "Christmas Sweater," while touring the country performing his annual Christmas show.

Not too bad for a former drug addict, huh? I'm not positive that I'd be interested in reading fiction from Beck but I bet it will sell quite well.

Hillary Clinton Will Win Tonight - But By How Much?:



The latest polls have her up by 36. Exit polls and more to follow.

Get this, Gazans are phonebanking for Obama in the Gaza Strip:



Exit Polls: It's All About The Economy... and Hillary Clinton.

Update: Hillary Clinton is already trying to spin her 'big win':

The Clinton campaign just released a memo that tries to raise the stakes of today's contest, which Clinton is expected to win by a considerable margin. "Given the attempts by our opponent and some in the media to declare this race over, any significant increase in voter turnout, coupled with a decisive Clinton victory, would send a strong message that Democrats remain excited and energized by Hillary's candidacy," the memo says.

More: "In the face of grim poll numbers, the Obama campaign has attempted to dismiss today's outcome despite the fact that Sen. Obama has outspent us on advertising, has more staff in the state, and more than double the number of offices. He has also benefited from the support of the most high-profile endorsers in West Virginia-Sen. Jay Rockefeller and Congressman Nick Rahall. By every measure, the Obama campaign has waged an aggressive campaign in the Mountain State."

More: Two in ten whites cite race as a reason for their vote.

Update: Hillary Clinton wins West Virginia by more than 40 percent.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Clinton used her big win in West Virginia on Tuesday to make her case that she has a better chance of beating the Republicans in the general election.


Sen. Hillary Clinton told supporters Tuesday that she believes she's the stronger candidate.

1 of 2 "I am more determined than ever to carry on this campaign," she told supporters in Charleston, West Virginia.

"I am in this race because I believe I am the strongest candidate. ... I can lead this party to victory in the general election if you lead me to victory now."

...and the beat goes on. The Democrats canabalize as McCain plans for November. She will win next week as well but it means nothing...

A Useless Victory: The morning after, Obama grabs 2 superdelegates.

We've Often Discussed McCain's VP Pick, But What About Obama?



Ted Strickland, Tim Kaine, Bill Richardson and Janet Napolitano...

Strickland's NRA rating and support in Ohio make him a great choice.

Support is growing in Democratic ranks for Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland as vice president. He would bring to the ticket maturity (66 years old), experience (six terms in Congress) and moderation (rated "A" by the National Rifle Association). He is very popular in Ohio, a state Republicans must carry to elect a president.

Kaine is the Governor of Virginia, a state Obama needs to win.

The Democratic governor of Virginia, Kaine was a Catholic missionary in Honduras and a mayor of Richmond. He also has one other big qualification and one that gives him an advantage over Virginia Senator Jim Webb: Kaine endorsed Barack Obama early. When Kaine was asked if he would consider a spot on the ticket, he replied: "I've got one term to be governor of Virginia, and that is my plan." Plans have a way of changing, however.

Did Richardson make an endorsement for VP deal with Barack Obama?

As for running mates, by far the most common prediction is Bill Richardson, with 146 people naming him (out of nearly 700 entries). That seems plausible to me, particularly given Obama’s problems with the Hispanic vote. Richardson also may help on the national security front, given his experience dealing with everywhere from North Korea to Sudan.

Forget Hillary Clinton, Janet Napolitano is on the short list.

Janet Napolitano (D) is currently governor of the Arizona, elected in 2002 and re-elected in 2006. She is Arizona's third female governor, and the first female to win re-election. Term limits ends her governorship in 2010.

Meanwhile, Jim Webb is basically begging for the job and Hillary Clinton is creating fake groups to push for her as a Vice Presidential pick. I'm pretty sure neither of them will get the nod. It looks like Ted Strickland is the front runner at the moment.

End-Of-The-World Cult Leader Wayne Bent Has Been Arrested:

The leader of an apocalyptic church was arrested at a remote ranch in New Mexico as part on a child sex abuse investigation, police said.

Wayne Bent, 66, the head of the doomsday Lord Our Righteousness Church, was detained after agents arrived at the compound where the leader and his followers are based near Clayton, north-east New Mexico.

New Mexico State Police spokesman Peter Olson said Bent was facing three charges of criminal sexual contact, but did not provide further details.

This guy is beyond creepy. His followers at the Lord Our Righteousness Church are all brainwashed into thinking that he is God reborn. Parents who have left the sect over the years have often left their children behind only to be abused by Bent. I was following this story about a week ago after watching a documentary on the sect and I made an attempt to interview Wayne Bent on The News Junkie.

His reply to my request was this bizarre email.

[contact@strongcity.com]

This is Michael's response:

"Return the children and then we will visit."

He's referring to an event a few weeks back when several children were removed from the sect. I don't know if he was so delusional that he thought I had something to do with the raid or if he's just that crazy but I knew something was bound to happen. This man has his followers so bamboozled that husbands are letting their wives sleep with him because Wayne says 'it's what God wants.' He even did this to his own son, his most strident and dedicated follower. When his son and the other men made it clear that they were not happy he simply said 'take it up with God.' And they bought it...

Several times in the documentary I linked to above Wayne Bent is seen with young girls. Most of their parents no longer live with the sect. Bent admitted that at least two of the girls slept naked with him in his bed. They talked about the experience and said that it brought them 'closer to God.' The disturbing details go on and on and on as this story unfolds. By the way, Bent told his followers the world would end late last year and when the date came and went, he simply adjusted to a later date. Brainwashed.

As Expected Clinton Leads Indiana, Obama Leads North Carolina:

(CNN) -- As polls closed in Indiana, the race between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama was too close to call.

With 4 percent of precincts reporting, Clinton leads Obama 59-41 percent.

Poll workers in Indiana and North Carolina reported heavy turnout in the two primaries that could be pivotal in the Democratic presidential nomination battle.

Don't let Terry McAuliffe's pro-Hillary appearances fool you, the Clinton campaign is not upbeat tonight. We may have split wins here (if Hillary is lucky) but the headlines tomorrow will be all about Barrack Obama. North Carolina is the big grab as it has more delegates than Indiana and Obama may win that state by double digits. The Superdelegates are watching...

Meanwhile, just minutes before the polls close, Barrack Obama picks up yet another Superdelegate. Another small victory for Obama.

Update: Ouch. Clinton's electability arguement falls flat for exits.

CNN-FOX News-ABC News-CBS News-NBC News All Call North Carolina For Barrack Obama Immediately After Polls Close. Check mate?

Update: Note the difference... Visitors to Hillary Clinton's blog are embracing 'the sky is falling' slogan as they light candles and scream at the mainstream media. Contrast that with the high emotions and celebrations going on over on a thread at Barrack Obama's blog and you can see where this battle is headed.

Update: CBS News calls Indiana for Hillary Clinton...

Update: Wait just a tick... Obama pulls back within two points with Lake County yet to report. Barrack Obama still has a chance to win the state of Indiana. All hell is breaking loose as no one knows exactly why the results haven't come in just yet. Hillary Clinton has canceled her morning show appearances, a sign of weakness, and the Mayor of Gary, which is in Lake County says his city will deliver for Obama. The news just gets worse for Hillary Clinton...

Score. Pizza has arrived and the votes are being counted in Gary.

Though CNN doesn't seem to be sure where the Lake County vote totals are coming from, I am watching the raw vote. All of Gary is now counted and Clinton has actually stepped a bit further away. Clinton will more than likely win the state by three points... still, she's glad the bell is ringing and this round is over.

Update: Matt Drudge turns the page on Hillary Clinton's campaign.

EXIT POLLING DATA LEAKS - North Carolina And Indiana Numbers:




Early reports have a North Carolina race closer than expected. I don't know how much credence I give to these numbers as exit polling data is finicky at best. Voter turnout is going to be massive and Republicans can and will vote in today's races. Details to follow...

The economy was on voters' minds in Democratic primaries in Indiana and North Carolina. Two-thirds of Democratic primary voters in Indiana and nearly as many in North Carolina said the economy is the most important issue facing the nation. That's more than have said so in 28 previous competitive Democratic primaries with exit polls this year.

Only about one in five in each state said Iraq was the top issue, and even fewer picked health care from a list of three issues.

Four in 10 Indiana Democratic voters said the current recession or economic slowdown has affected their family a great deal. Nearly as many said that in North Carolina.

CROSSOVER VOTING:

Indiana's Democratic primary was open to all voters. About one in five said they were independents and one in 10 identified themselves as Republican. North Carolina's Democratic primary was open only to voters registered Democratic or unaffiliated; nearly one in five voters in that contest called themselves independents.

DEMOGRAPHICS:

The exit poll estimated blacks made up about a third of voters in the North Carolina Democratic primary, about one in seven in Indiana. More than half of voters in both states were women, which is typical for Democratic primaries. About one in seven voters in Indiana and slightly fewer in North Carolina were under age 30; about a quarter in North Carolina and somewhat fewer in Indiana were over age 65.

1 in 10 Indiana voters identified themselves as Republicans!

After digging through exit polling data it looks like Obama will comfortably win North Carolina. My early prediction of Obama by 9 in NC looks strong. Indiana is a close race, according to the exit polls, and there won't be any clear winner right off the bat.

Meanwhile, Barrack Obama HQ's In Indiana Receive Bomb Threats.

MORE: Hillary Clinton, as expected, dominates the white vote in both North Carolina and Indiana. Also, more than 30% of Indiana voters say the Reverend Wright controversy weighed heavily in their decision. Most of those voters sided with Hillary Clinton.

OFFICIAL EXITS: Hillary is up by a margin of 7.5 in Indiana. Obama is up by a margin of 12 in North Carolina. At least one early second round exit has clinton losing Indiana. The Game-Changer is DOA.

SECOND ROUND: Obama takes NC by 15, Hillary takes Indiana by 5.

The Bobby Jindal Buzz Is Stronger Than Ever These Days:

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The young Indian-American governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal, said in an interview with Fox News on Monday he did not expect John McCain to ask him to be his running mate for the November election.

Jindal's name has been floated increasingly in recent days as a vice presidential choice of the presumptive Republican presidential candidate.

At 36 the Louisiana governor would offer an age counterbalance to Senator McCain, who if elected would be -- at 72 -- the oldest US president to take his first-term oath of office.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal doesn't think McCain will choose him and neither do I but there are many people pushing his name around. Bill Kristol posted an op-ed in the New York Times yesterday talking about the Jindal push and Newsweek elaborated online. Many have compared him to Barrack Obama but I just don't see him pulling in conservative or blue-collar voters on a national level. I still say Romney, Pawlenty and Huckabee are the most likely.

Indiana Voter Calls Obama 'Anti-Christ From The Middle East':

Mary Bunger, a 44-year-old single mom from Abington, emerged from the town's general store on Wednesday, the only place to purchase a snack in a 10-mile radius.

"I am definitely going to try to go with Hillary," she said. "I almost feel like (Obama's) the anti-Christ from the Middle East."

Bunger reads news online about the election and has been "trying to talk everybody into voting, especially this year because I'm really scared for Obama to get it."

Bunger worries about the Illinois senator's ties to Rev. Jeremiah Wright, whose recent remarks and former association with the candidate made headlines the past couple months.

Judging by this article the rural vote in Indiana is beyond uniformed. It's already all but certain Hillary will sweep the blue-collar vote but the sentiment against Obama among this electorate is astounding.

For the record, the first polls close in less than four hours...

Update: It's also worth noting that the next contests are West Virginia on May 13th and Kentucky on May 20th. Hillary Clinton is dominating polls in both states with double digit leads. That said, Barrack Obama needs at least one solid win tonight to keep the headlines positive and in his favor. He'll certainly get that win.

This Is What's Going On As Voters Hit The Polls Today:



John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth are pretending to be both relevant and vague in an interview with People Magazine today. Pathetic. I think they both support Hillary, I know she does for sure and I'm not sure why any of it matters as he has never had any real support on a national level. Moving on...

The Indy Star is seeing loads of crossover voters in Indiana some of which are admittedly members of Rush Limbaugh's Operation Chaos movement. Republicans may have an effect on this Primary.

The Charlotte Observer predicts that Clinton will take 65% of the white vote in North Carolina and Obama will take the same percentage of the African American vote in the state. The Atlantic figures in those numbers and claims Obama could win North Carolina by as much as 8 points. All signs point to an Obama win in N.C..

Also, remember Mecklenburg county. There are hundreds of thousands of young, black, well-educated voters here and they tend to favor Barrack Obama. The better the turnout in Mecklenburg, the better it looks for the Obama campaign.

Everyone expects a solid turnout across the board and despite the usual shouts of disenfranchisement everything seems to be going swimmingly in both North Carolina and Indiana.

Finally, Hillary Clinton's internal polling has her up by 5 in Indiana which clearly has her campain worried. Add to that the fact that everyone under the sun is trying to predict what will happen next and it looks like we're in for a good night.

Romney, Pawlenty And Huckabee Top The List As Others Bow Out:

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said today that he does not consider himself a likely candidate to be on presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain's short list for a running mate because he is still on hurricane duty, and he said the Arizona senator ought to wait until it is clear whom his opponent will be before picking a vice presidential nominee.

OK, so Barbour's out of the running. What about Senator Thune?

BROOKINGS (AP) -- U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., says he does not expect to be selected as Sen. John McCain's running mate in the presidential race.

But McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee, may pick South Dakota's junior senator, predicts MSNBC's "Hardball" talk show host, Chris Matthews.

Thune is adding no fuel to the fire.

"I very much like what I do," he says. "I don't have any desire to do anything else."

Thune is out as well. Add to this our earlier updates on possible VP choices for McCain and it's down to three. Huckabee, Romney and Pawlenty are the obvious favorites and I think one of them (or an unknown as of yet) will be chosen by June.

Update: Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn is generating a lot of buzz as a potential choice as well. She's been hard at work rallying the local GOP in her district but she's relatively unknown on a national level. Also, it looks like Blackburn may have trouble simply retaining her current position in Congress. She did have an interesting back-and-forth with MSNBC's David Shuster when he hyperventilated at the thought that she couldn't name the last soldier who died in Iraq from her district. Shuster later apologized for the incident. Blackburn is also dealing with some campaign finance violation issues. Too dirty. Too unknown. Too unimpressive.

Update: Bob Novak says Romney leads the list of potentials.

Will McCain name a vice presidential candidate in mid-July to step up fund-raising before the national convention, or will he wait until Democrats make their choice in late August? A rumor running through the political community now puts former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in the lead for VP. But Romney has many critics in the McCain inner circle, and we don’t think the decision has been made.

Former Hewlett Packard Chief Carly Fiorina Is A Bad Choice:

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KCBS) - Former HP chief Carly Fiorina is rumored to be near the top of a very short list of possible Vice Presidential candidates.

Fiorina has already joined the Republican National Committee as the party's "Victory Chairman." She has been promoting presumed GOP presidential candidate John McCain on the campaign trail. "John McCain has the right vision for our country and the character, experience and judgment to lead," she has said.

Will this former Silicon Valley CEO's support of McCain translate into her selection as running mate? A top Republican party official has suggested that McCain "could do a lot worse than Carly."

I don't have a lot of positive things to say about Carly Fiorina. She was a failed executive a Hewlett Packard and If she can't run a computer company, she certainly can't run this country. When Fiorina was forced out at HP the stock bounced up as much as ten percent. "The stock is up a bit on the fact that nobody liked Carly's leadership all that much," said Robert Cihra, an analyst with Fulcrum Global Partners. I think this is a calculated move to confuse the DNC in their attempt to guess who McCain will chose. Either that or Carly Fiorina is looking for a little positive publicity for herself.

Oh yeah, and those Bobby Jindal rumors are bogus as well.

It Happens Every Election, But This Time - War Crimes?:

Presidential campaigns try to prepare for these “October surprises,” late-breaking events and crises that can radically alter the race for the White House, such as the attack on the USS Cole in October 2000.
But now there’s a new element in the mix, something presidential campaigns have never had to plan for.
What if the October surprise is the greatest legal conflict between America and Europe since the creation of the Atlantic alliance?

Don’t think it can’t happen. I think the arrest abroad of an American is only a matter of time and, between now and November, is at least as likely as another terrorist attack on U.S. soil. As a former Marine Corps Commandant, Gen. Paul X. Kelley, reminded the nation in a July 2007 Washington Post op-ed, written with a University of Virginia law professor: “Violations of Common Article 3 are ‘war crimes’ for which everyone involved — potentially up to and including the president of the United States — may be tried in any of the other 193 countries that are parties to the conventions.”

Courts in Italy and Germany already have issued warrants demanding the arrest of CIA operatives for illegally kidnapping and allegedly torturing citizens and residents of their nations. More than 30 U.S. citizens have been named, their CIA covers blown. These warrants have not been executed, primarily for diplomatic reasons. But they could be acted upon rapidly with a simple decision by either government.
And other names — of those directly involved in “enhanced interrogation techniques” — are starting to emerge overseas.

I don't buy it... but it's an interesting thought. I don't think European authorities would have the balls to hold someone like Rumsfeld or any another high-ranking official with intentions of trying them. It would be an international incident of epic proportions and the Bush administration wouldn't let it fly. Additionally, I don't think the charges would stick. Is this far-fetched or is it actually a possibility?

PHILLY SHOCKER - OBAMA AHEAD IN EARLY EXIT POLL DATA:

Hold on to your hats. I've gotten the usual word of the exit poll results from one of my usual reliable sources. He notes that Obama traditionally over-performs in the earliest exit polls, and that he expects the numbers to change as the night wears on - perhaps a reversal.

But right now, the exits are saying Obama 52 percent, Clinton 47 percent.

Take these results with the usual grains of salt and skepticism. I'm told that Obama is carrying blue collar workers two to one, and he's winning Philadelphia in the neighborhood of three to one.

As usual, if you're a Pennsylvanian and haven't voted yet, don't let these or any other numbers discourage you.

***Updates To Follow****

More - From The Corner:

UPDATE: Brendan Loy looked at Obama's performance in the early exit polls and concludes "Obama generally does 7-8 points worse in the actual results than he did in the leaked, unweighted exit polls."

ANOTHER UPDATE: Yes, I know Drudge has the numbers reversed. I checked with my source, and this is what they've got. I have more than one source who hears the early exit poll numbers, and haven't yet heard from all of them.

Update: ABC News - Exit polls show negative campaigning hurt both Barrack Obama and Hillary Clinton.... Hillary the hardest hit.

Update: ABC News - Too Close To Call CNN - 'Competitive Race'

Update: 1 in 10 say they switched parties for Rush Limbaugh's Operation Chaos to vote for Hillary Clinton. Don't adjust your monitor... it says 1 IN 10. A full 10% of the electorate...

Update: Drudge says the second batch of exit polls has Hillary up 52 to 48 over Obama. All signs point to the close race that Hillary Clinton was hoping dearly to avoid.

Update: Fox News - Too Tight To Call NBC News - Too Close To Call

Update: Hillary Clinton takes early lead as rural votes flood in.

Don't be fooled by an early surge by Clinton as all of the votes thus far come from Huntingdon, McKean and Wayne counties. Obama will catch up when the big city results flow in.

Update: It's official, Hillary Clinton wins Pennsylvania.

Update: Hillary's lead is bopping between 5 and 8 points...

Update: With 50% reporting Hillary leads by my prediction of 8. Only 50% of Philadelphia county has been tallied and Obama is winning by a wide margin there. However, others point out, if Hillary wins this by wide enough of a margin, she may actually take the lead in the popular vote. If she could pull this off, it would be huge for her campaign. I'll keep you up to date as the numbers roll in...

Update: It looks as if Hillary will take PA by between 8 and 10 points. This victory spells disaster for the Democratic party. If Clinton would have swept Obama by 14 or 15, superdelegates would have given her a second thought. If Obama would have pulled within 5 points or less or, even better, somehow was able to pull off a hail-mary win here, it would have been game over for Hillary. This, my friends, is more of the same. More uncertainty. More indecisiveness. More infighting. And the battle rages on...

Update: Hillary claims to raise 2.5 million + in the past few hours.

[Hillary Clinton Victory Speech] [Barrack Obama Concession Speech]

Advance Copy - Next Issue Compares Iwo Jima To Global Warming:



Time Magazine has long been obsessed with the overblown myth of human induced global warming. Next week's cover marks the breaking point for a magazine on the brink. Time Magazine has officially jumped the shark... In comparing the 'battle' against global warming to the real battle of Iwo Jima they have offended many veterans. Maybe this newly adopted tactic explains Time's massive circulation drop over the past several years. The magazine could be following the rest of the ancient publications around the bowl but a move like this will have them leading the charge downward.