The New Hampshire primary has been deciding presidential futures for quite over thirty years in America, but we haven't seen a race which so perfectly captures the tensions found in America today since 1968 when Eugene McCarthy, Bobby Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey vied for the Democratic nod. On both sides, front-runners are poised to tumble like nine-pins. Iowa could be a fluke, and probably will be for Mike Huckabee. But if Obama continues to pull ahead in polls (a 10-13 point advantage as of yesterday) he is going to find himself in a very powerful position going into Nevada Michigan, South Carolina, and then all the primaries of Super Duper Tuesday. In fact, the New York Times claims that Hillary's campaign is already writing off New Hampshire.
A shocking turn-around, leaving the Democratic candidates so winded they can barely attack each other--Hillary merely claims that Obama talks the talk but can't walk the walk, and Edwards, feisty though he is, is swinging at shadows.
Republicans too are seeing front-runners crumble, with McCain--as I, ah-hem, have been predicting--pulling to the fore. Mitt is loosing it--at one point during the Saturday night debates he basically told Mike Huckabee that the man made up facts as fast as he talked, to which Huckabee replied with a genial chuckle and head shake. There you go again.
The saddest sight may be the Clintons wandering New Hampshire--a state that made their political fortunes back in 1992, despite Gennifer Flowers--in the position of old fogeys battling off a fresh newcomer. Bill came in second in New Hampshire in '92 and called himself "the Comeback Kid." For his wife to do the same, however, she'll have to take a first.
Monday, January 7, 2008
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