Now that Wisconsin has fallen, how will they folks in Ohio not follow? Is this out of Clinton's control now? It is an odd race but now one at this point that the wheels are close enough to coming off that something like truth might be peeking out. Obama's website (which you apparently have to give some measure of allegiance to in order to read) has plenty of drilled down policy including this nugget:
Were it not for America’s hunters and anglers, including the great icons like Theodore Roosevelt and Aldo Leopold, our nation would not have the tradition of sound game management, a system of ethical, science-based game laws and an extensive public lands estate on which to pursue the sport.Will he keep the results tracker up if the unexpected happens? His Ben-boring speech last night apparently ran one hour and twenty minutes (one-third of a Putin, one-fifth of a Castro) and they are now getting some substance injected into them...and not just about the role of Aldo Leopold. Here, for example, is his fiscal plan and I do not see the words "eat the rich" anywhere.
But is he really the issue of the Democratic campaign? Isn't it really the equally damning dichotomy of whether Hillary is just a bad campaigner or actually a bad candidate? To be clear, she has filled her days with accomplishment in the last seven or eight years and done great service as junior Senator for New York, a job classification we Canadians lack and one that seems amazingly useful now that I have peeked a bit at it from here just over the border. But does she have the characteristics you want in a President or even a candidate? There's baggage aplenty, for sure, but isn't there also a sort of yesterday's view or at least appearance. Are folks thinking that it would be nice to have someone else's last name after the title of the office? Or is it more specific than that? Has she shown herself to not be the campaigner she needed to be. Remember that New Hampshire moment when she let her guard down? Did it go right back up again?
It's fun to watch this much effort go into picking the people's choice, especially when we look at the possibility of a Canadian Federal election with all the glee of a someone facing a Wednesday's reheating of Tuesdays leftovers of Sunday's dinner. All we get to do is pick from Dud, Dudder and Duddest chosen by someone else and are given only a couple of weeks to make up our minds between them. Under our system, the next Federal election would have been a race between Rudy Giuliani and Joe Biden.

Comments
Hans - February 20, 2008 9:42 am
I almost can't believe that, after GWB and Gore and then GWB and Kerry, Americans in both major parties are selecting the best possible candidates. I loved Bill Clinton as much as the next guy but Hill is no Bill.
sean liddle - February 20, 2008 9:57 am
Personally, not being an American and all that and my opinion being what it is worth not being such, I have never been all that impressed with her. I am not a fan of "statesman like speeches" but instead prefer to see politicos at their most honest and open. Any time she has been talking in an un-prepared, non-speech-written way, she comes across as a bit of an angry snobbish Volvo driving Martha Stewart with a chip on her shoulder. Obama, well, I think he prepares speeches for relative's childrens birthday parties, so he is not any better, just doe not appear to be as angry, or frankly as black as Martha to be honest. I think both are candidates with minds run by committee.
And I must half heartedly disagree with your opinion about who we choose to run for our parties. Everyone in Canada has the ability to pay a party membership fee, take part in riding associations and elect persons to attend the conventions where leaders are chosen if not attend themselves. Problem is that we still have conventions where leaders are chosen where only persons who can afford to leave the family home for five days, not work, pay for hotels, food etc etc can take part. Hence the wealthier party faithful not supporting distance election of candidates.
Solution: pay annual fee, take part and try to change system from within.
sean liddle - February 20, 2008 9:58 am
I am officially a dufus. I typed the captcha in as my name.. Satisfactory spun IS a good name if I was an artsy MuchMusic type circa 1986.
Alan - February 20, 2008 10:06 am
The handpuppet with the second comment needs to provide a name by noon or that gets deleted.
sean liddle - February 20, 2008 11:11 am
Hardee har har (I never know when you are joking) :)