#15 "All Is Fluid"

The stock market is way up so far today (that can change in an instant, or a week, or...), and the Utilities average is particularly strong. If this continues, we won't have a market meltdown, and the Democrats can add No Market Crash to their list of otherwise-self-inflicted woes. Hillary is sounding increasingly petulant, and Obama is trying to maintain his cool in the face of some pretty nasty attacks. And what Hillary's people are doing is nothing compared to what Barack can expect, should he get the nomination, from the Karl Roves of the Republican party. In the meantime, John McCain can keep his own hands clean from direct dirt, if his handlers (and, yes, he needs handlers) succeed in positioning him.

Right now it doesn't look good for the Democrats, whose propensity for self-immolation goes back at least to the 1968 convention in Chicago. Probably further.

In addition to--or perhaps because of--the current campaigning, the press is making Hillary sound like a spoiled child and Barack look like he has things to hide, especially about his former pastor. Or maybe she is behaving badly, and maybe BO does have things to hide. I'm not enamored of either, though I started out months ago thinking Hillary would make a fine president.

As one of my former poker buddies used to say, however, "All is fluid." In poker that meant money going to one player now can just as easily and quickly shift to another and then another, and so on. In politics, McCain's increasing popularity as the alternative to either Democratic potential candidate can also change, once the Democrats actually select a candidate and IF they can heal the wounds they have self-inflicted (a big "if"). Right now it doesn't look good. But as my second favorite line from GwtW goes, "Tomorrow is another day."

My favorite line, of course, is "As God is my witness, I shall never go hungry again."