Edwards Endorses Obama; Dobbs Endorses Nonsense

I'm glad I caught Edwards' speech endorsing Barack Obama - I turned it on just as he was winding down his awkward Hillary Clinton comments, which, with me being someone who can't stand Clinton, was perfect timing. I thought Edwards' speech was actually very inspiring and hope filled, reminiscent of the message Obama focused on in the beginning of the primary season. All in all, a great speech, a great endorsement for Obama, and another nail in the Clinton coffin.

Unfortunately, CNN cut Obama's speech short to get analysis from Lou Dobbs. Dobbs, after getting some basic thoughts on the speeches from two panel members, declared that the Democratic primary failed - the Democrats were hoping to avoid a "brokered" nomination, and that's exactly what it got. Dobbs repeatedly questioned the panel members as to why this should be accepted, and ranted that it was damaging to the party.

Dobbs, it seems, believes that the importance of the superdelegates this election cycle makes the nomination worthless, and that this recent surge ins upport for Obama is effectively making the voter's choices worthless. He was undeterred by the other pundit's explanations that there was simply no way possible for either candidate to win the needed number of votes without counting superdelegates, or that, if the superdelegates needed to choose someone, they were doing the most democratic thing by backing the person with the most public support from voters.

Dobbs continued to insist that the nomination was brokered, and unfair. He had trouble understanding why Florida and Michigan couldn't be seated, and also with the way the superdelegates are counted. What he's failing to realize is that, flawed as the system might be (and is now recognized to be by most), the rules are the rules, and to call this nomination brokered is utter nonsense. The people have voted, the superdelegates have concurred, and Barack Obama looks to be the next Democratic nominee for President.

The pundits, those "experts" we are told to listen to, really need to read the rulebook more carefully - I'm sure someone could explain it to them if they really need.

August Here we Come

I just thought I would drop some notes in, even though the final results aren't quite in yet.

1) The polls seemed to be just about right in Indiana, where Clinton currently has about a four point lead, but not so much in North Carolina, where polls recently had Obama in the single digits for a lead but he looks to have won by about 14-15 points. These polls have turned into quite the roll of the dice, no?

2) It looks to me like Obama will increase his delegate lead tonight, but I'm already hearing from the pundits that the ClintonS (yes, with an "s") won't listen to anyone because Hillary thinks she's entitled to this year's nomination. Of course, that was on Fox (CNN was on a commercial break), but I'll drink that Kool-Aid. This isn't ending soon.

3) I guess it's a good thing, voter participation and all, but 400,000 people voted in both Indiana and North Carolina for the Republican primary? I must admit I thought that was interesting.

4) One comment not just about tonight - I'm in the camp that thinks this gas tax holiday is a bunch of baloney; the economics just don't make sense, and we're making the problem worse. Still, I can see the strategy of McCain and Clinton, and maybe they have their beliefs and opinions, which is great - but let's turn the rhetoric down. Hillary, I know you're trying to come from behind and win, but am I really supposed to buy your line that the reason Obama opposes the gas tax holiday is because he doesn't care about regular people? That he doesn't want to cut working Americans a break? Please. There's a line of legitimacy that she seems to be losing track of.

I'll check back in the next few days to see what new developments come up. Until then!