Here Comes Indiana

Everyone knows that Hillary won Pennsylvania, right? You also know that Obama still leads in delegates, right? Now, the attention turns to Indiana (and I grudgingly admit, North Carolina).

Part of me does not really mind the primary continuing - especially since Indiana now becomes important. Ok, I am a Hoosier chauvinist. I recall a poll showing Obama leading in Indiana. That leads me to wonder about the difference between Ohio and Pennsylvania and Indiana and Illinois. Fewer mountains and more prairie? Is Indiana less rural than Pennsylvania and Ohio? (Hey, try I-70 between Columbus, Ohio and the Pennsylvania border and tell me it is not a long, tedious drive through nothing. Or that the Pennsylvania turnpike goes through beautiful country that probably has a lot more deer per square mile than people.) When I was younger driving east to visit relatives I always got the feeling that Ohio was different from Indiana and Pennsylvania was nothing like Indiana. I recall my last drive through the area and I still had that same feeling. Illinois always seemed more like western Indiana - flat. But all that is about the land - I would presume Indiana more conservative than Pennsylvania or Ohio.

I wrote that only part of me part of me likes the non-stop primary. My wife keeps repeating that it does not matter who wins the Democratic primary that some how, some way McCain will win and it does not matter. I think that worry lurks in all of us - that the primary fight will sap us for the general election. I am not so sure. Much depends on how Clinton and Obama behave between the end of the primary and the convention. However, headlines like this one give me hope (and no pun intended): Obama Shifting Focus From Clinton to McCain

By the way, I heard a brilliant idea out of Chris Matthews' mouth the night before last. He thinks the primary has become too bitter for an Obama-Clinton ticket but that Obama needs a Clintonista for the Vice President slot. He tossed out a couple of names I cannot recall well enough to repeat here. Actually, not a bad idea. I would think that someone like Wesley Clark would be a help.