Today, 24 states will hold their primary elections and caucuses and then, finally then, we will be in the home stretch of this thing ("this thing" being the nominating process). That is, unless, the election remains as tightly locked as it has been previously. In that case, the parties head into "brokered" conventions in August to determine the nominees. In that nightmare scenario, we have to put up with the intra-party battle royal for another six months. But we're not worried, America, because we know you're not going to let that happen.
For a party completely fractured and divided, the GOP looks ready to send John McCain straight to the general election, trouncing his opponent, the frantic and wild-eyed non-contender Mitt Romney in most major contests tomorrow including (but not limited to) California, New York and New Jersey and Connecticut. Romney will walk away with Massachusetts, Utah (where will literally get 99% of the vote) and has a decent shot and taking Georgia.
Things are not so clear cut on the other side of the aisle. An encouraging sign for 65% of Americans who will vote Democratic in the general election this year, though, is the uncanny ability of both leading contenders to resist the systematic destruction of their own candidacies, an usual feat for Democrats in an election year. Going into Super Tuesday, Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are locked in a dead heat in most important states, with almost every poll yielding nearly essentially worthless results. As of yesterday, Clinton held a narrow lead in coveted California after a sharp decline in the face of Obama's gains. The same holds true for Connecticut, Massachusetts, Missouri, and New Jersey. Clinton can expect to walk away with her home state of New York and Oklahoma. Safely in the Obama column are Illinois and Utah, which makes Hillary and Obama just about even.
But who has the edge you ask? A CNN poll released earlier today shows that Clinton has been overtaken by Obama nationally, and the Junior Senator from Illinois must be confident knowing that going into Super Tuesday, he is in his strongest position ever against the titan Clinton. Also not hurting Obama is the fact that Vanity Fair put his baby pictures up on their website today. Seriously, he's going to be like the most adorable president ever.
