Thoughts on SC Primary Day...

...first of all I'm happy this day has come but I'm sure I'm not as happy as the Democrats are.

To say this state has completely torn at the core of the party is an understatement. As much as the Democrats claim to be a party of race and equity there's no denial that this state completely held up the same ol' barriers that people revert to when in a racially divided southern state like South Carolina.

If the goal was to get major turnout...well it's been successful. But the ultimate goal of presenting a unified party committed to improving the U.S. during its convention over the summer before going on a victory tour in the fall looks more and more unlikely.

Will Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton join hands in triumph a few months from now? Sure. But the fact remains that these two Senators, who I believed respected each other six months ago, have all but destroyed any personal relationship that may be needed in the future. And the party will need both Senators to succeed in the fall and in the future.

Meanwhile, today is primary day in South Carolina and I predict a slim Obama victory over Clinton with Edwards becoming more and more an afterthought. Some media outlets (actually just conservative pundit Bob Novak) are saying that he may drop out of the race sooner than later and start campaigning with Obama as a promise of a cabinet position awaits. And to be honest, if either Clinton or Obama take the White House, Edwards should be offered a prominent cabinet position.

So let's see how his one shakes out and see if better days are ahead.

For Giuliani: It's Florida or Bust...

....after receiving little love from his former hometown paper, Rudy Giuliani's strategy of running a 29-state primary campaign to prove he can run a 50-state national campaign might have possibly hit a snag in his first state of competition.

"America's mayor" is third in the Florida polls, where he's spent the last half dozen weeks campaigning, and is being victimized by the early bounces that Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney and especially John McCain have received from primary victories in other states. If Rudy can't pull a rabbit out of his thinning hairline, his campaign will be over right before it was supposed to kick into overdrive.

As Wayne Barrett, Giuliani's biographer, puts it: "This may be the biggest tumble in election history - you'd have to look at Gary Hart for anything like it, and he had a blonde on his lap."

Meanwhile, with his back against the wall, Rudy reverts back to the one trick he knows -- talking about his 9-11 "heroics". Unfortunately Giuliani's greatest strength highlights his greatest weaknesses -- ignorance and stubborness.

"He did great things and some stupid things," said former New York Deputy Fire Chief Charles R. Blaich, who was a ground zero commander on Sept. 11 and later highlighted the handicaps that fire officials faced. "There's a lot there to admire. The problem is that when it came to a serious discussion about lessons learned, he didn't want any part of it."

GOP Agrees...Romney Is An Asshole..

...at least the ones who talked to the New York Times

According to the old grey lady Romney is the most disliked by his GOP Rivals. John McCain called the Mormon android "a pig" but that was tamed compared to what Mike Huckabee's campaign manager, Ed Rollins, said.

“What I have to do is make sure that my anger with a guy like Romney, whose teeth I want to knock out, doesn’t get in the way of my thought process,” Mr. Rollins said.

Why such anger towards the clean-cut former governor from Massachusetts? Who knows. But there is on member of the party that supports the modern-day Ward Clever and it's someone who you'd least expect.

Fight Night in the Palmetto State

Fists are flying and both sides say they are ready to fight. That's what I'm talkin' bout.

Going, Going, Gone

Fred Thompson does the smart thing and bows out after a lackluster campaign ends with a disappointing third-place finish in South Carolina.

What happened to all the conservatives who practically begged Thompson to join the race? Common sense would seem to think they jumped behind Mike Huckabee.

With the exit of Thompson and Hunter, the B-team Republicans are down to virtually nothing.

Somehow I think Al D'Amato will take way too much credit for Thompson's exit.