Up, Up, and Away

♪Bill, I love you so. I always will,
I look at you and see the passion eyes of May... ♪

© "Wedding Bell Blues" by Laura Nyro

Yesterday it was Barack Obama, the junior Senator from Illinois, addressing massive crowds at Tulane University. Today it will be William Jefferson Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States, campaigning at Dillard University on behalf of his wife Hillary. Yesterday there was a contested nomination for the Republicans. Today John McCain is the standard bearer of his party as Governor Mitt Romney made clear his intention to suspend his campaign. In a period of a little more than a week the field of candidates for the presidency has shrunk to two for each major party: Obama and Clinton for the Democrats and McCain and Huckabee for the Republicans. To be sure, Huckabee is not in any position to overtake McCain's huge lead and with Romney's exit, the conservatives will have to learn the hard lesson that sometimes one must bend like a mighty tree in the onslaught of overpowering winds or else snap. My feeling is that a McCain-Romney alliance, while unlikely, might be the best bet for the Republicans, but who knows? If McCain doesn't care about appeasing conservatives at this stage of the contest, he might just go the other way. What about a McCain-Lieberman ticket? On the other side of the aisle, the Clintons versus Obama looks like a knock-down, drag-out fight. A few months back, I thought Hillary was the heir apparent. To be frank, Obama has captured the imagination and determination of youth and women who were the Clintons' former strength. His presence and charisma are formidable. I can't see either a Clinton-Obama or Obama-Clinton ticket. So I suggest we keep our eyes peeled for a tough fought race there. Then again, it was my feeling only a few weeks back that Romney and Giuliani would have stayed in the Republican race and that Edwards would have mounted a significant alternative campaign for the Democrats. 2008 has proven to be the year of the unexpected. It is only February, yet much of what should have played out in the ensuing months has already been determined. The next six months will be interesting to say the least. Meanwhile, the 47 Republican delegates and 67 Democratic delegates from Louisiana will be determined tomorrow. It's nice to be wanted, I guess. But sometimes I feel like the Fifth Dimension's Marilyn McCoo. Maybe Bill will give us something to be hopeful for later today.