And Then There Were Some

DROPPING OUT OF THE HUNT
Chris Dodd and Joseph Biden after a weak showing in the Iowa Caucuses have officially decided to go back to work on Capital Hill. Struggling with their dogs and the wrong type of birdshot, they were unable to bag the birds necessary to move on in the Rod and Gun Club finals.

I'll miss Biden in the debates. I'm sure Dodd was on OK guy, but Biden is smart and could have brought up issues beyond the very superficial in the debates and perhaps actual bring some substance to the foreign policy discussion.

Edwards is lacking celebrity firepower. Barack's got Oprahpalooza lighting up South Carolina, (watch out Hillary) and of course HRC has got Mr. Clinton and a host of other Democratic party stalwarts behind here. A quick look at Edwards on the web has Tim Robbins, a fine actor and Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne, fine entertainers in their own right but certainly aren't going to set the world on fire. I think Pretty Johnny should try to get the US Magazine endorsement by wooing Lindsay Lohan and Tara Reid. By the way, Paul Simon was a Dodd supporter so get him on the phone. Sean Penn is for Kucinich, keep him as far away as you can.

I'm unsure why a celebrity endorsement would matter to anyone. Oprah is different I guess because a lot of people actually listen to her, a bunch of folks actually started reading because of her. A book in Oprah's book club is an instant best seller. The Huckster has enrolled action hero and fists of rage Chuck Norris which has actually gave him some traction. (he picked up wrestler Ric Flair along the way, so the toughness factor is Minister Mike's) Not sure if Bo Derek's endorsement of Rudy will have the same effect. Ah, American politics, a mile long and an inch deep, who's Doris Kearns Goodwin like? Christianne Amanpour?

OFF TO NEW HAMPSTER
Every 4 years, the Granite State gets the world's attention. Until recently, New Hampshire meant to me, Hampton Beach, a place my buddy Chris lived, no sales tax and liquor stores open on Sunday. Now that Massachusetts lets liquor stores open on Sunday it means even less. It's where people go because they don't like taxes, but make sure it's a quick drive to Massachusetts in case they need emergency medical care or other services.

It is a pretty state though, every time I drive through it to get somewhere else. Seriously though Cow Hampshire is actually kind of a cool place. It's retail politics like Iowa, but actually more people participate because they don't have to lock up with each other in a sweaty gym with crazed activists for hours having some onion eating, clove smoking, Kucinich supporter talk to you for hours.

Politically it has always had a libertarian streak, people there don't like taxes, and recently passed a civil union law and generally don't like people telling them what to do, evangelical, or PC liberal equally. They also generally don't like people from Massachusetts, using the clever Masshole moniker to describe us, certainly Romney will be able to flip himself out of that one, using Utah, Michigan, Paris or even his own 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th home that he owns in New Hampshire to proclaim himself as a native son. (part of his 50 state strategy)

With the recent birth of the Manchester airport, candidates most likely can skip the obligatory Boston trip, usually a 4 hour stop for Democrats to pick up some of that fresh Democratic activist money from us crazed liberals, lawyers and slave and molasses heirs and heiresses and move their way on to the pancake house.


NEW HAMPSHIRE? A BELLWETHER?
In the past, for both parties, New Hampshire was the first or second round of the tournament, the small conferences get knocked out, the Florida A and M's and Oral Roberts' get tossed aside while the North Carolina and UCLA's roll on to the "real games".

This year is somewhat different. Super Duper Tuesday as it is being called is on February 5th. Hey, Massachusetts is relevant again! Over 20 states vote on that day with roughly half the delegates up for grabs. If you can stay relevant for a month, you can roll the dice on the big day.

For candidates, like Edwards, McCain and particularly folks like Romney who can write his own checks, New Hampshire may not be that important. Make a decent showing in South Carolina, a few people in Las Vegas walk out of the casinos and brothels to show up at the caucuses for you and you are in the game. I'd put Fred Thompson in this group but it looks like he just wanted to get up on the top of the roller coaster and ride down, he's not taking this very seriously. Unsure what's going to eventually happen with those very important states of Michigan and Florida in regards to their legal wrangling around their primaries but that stuff is just confusing even for a political dork like me. In fact, it seems like Giuliani's entire strategy is built around Super Duper Tuesday. Well that and Rudy's itchy button pushing finger.

So here we go enough until Tuesday night and the next report. We're off and running!