Picnic in the rain

It's raining here in New England. Steady, light rain that rustles through the leaves. These are usually great days for sleeping in, if you didn't go to bed a 9:30 pm! So, up with the birds, I was.

There's a county Democratic picnic this afternoon, couple of towns over. It's a little more important to attend because it's raining, I think. I'm not sure who the speakers are, but we're sure to see Jeanne Shaheen, Carol Shea-Porter, and maybe Lynch.

I would add that Lynch disappoints me sometimes. He has a good reputation in our state as a steady steward of government. He is popular. But he rarely helps with other Dem campaigns. The argument is always, "he wants his coattails to do the work." He's a two-term governor...time to tuck the shirts in and get to work.

It's a little curious what these gatherings are about. I mock the Repubs for marching in lockstep with all their candidates, yet I'm about to do something similar. The concept of attaching myself to a political party is not comforting. I'd like to have more options, but simply do not.

Where's the umbrella?

Clear as Mud

According to the WP, Clinton won 8 states and 540 delegates yesterday, and Obama won 13 states and 539 delegates. Overall, Clinton has a narrow edge in delegates, leading Obama 803 - 742.

These are two remarkable candidates fighting for the preeminent leadership position in the world. It is easy to see how Democrats are evenly divided between these highly qualified people. That said, I think the momentum is swinging in Obama’s direction. He is handily winning the fundraising battle, and drawing extraordinarily large crowds – two very important public relation issues.

The next few primary states bode well for Obama as they play into his strengths. He survived Hilary’s institutional advantages on Super Tuesday and can now focus on a few states at a time. This means that he can flood television markets with his cash-on-hand, and make rock-star like appearances.

Of course, it could also be that I have my head up my ass. We’ll see.

UPDATE: NBC News now projects Obama to win the delegate count from Super Tuesday - 847 to 834. Not likely to put Clinton on her heels, but will definately throw her off-balance.