The Obama train rolls on

A while back, the Oprah train...oops, the Obama train threw more coal on the fire with it's tenth primary win, (did the global primary count as eleven?) meaning that roughly 20% of the Democrats in America think he's the guy, not that venerable Clinton combine that just 12 months ago was going through pastel swatches for a preordained American political redocoration.

Because apparently Oprah is magic.

The Clinton team has been on it's heels, rewriting reality faster than Fox news on a Friday. These states don't matter because of this, these other states don't matter because of that. But if enough of these don't matter states cobble together, will they eventually mean something? (And for that matter, since the last two elections came down two or three ballot boxes, how in the hell can a whole state not "matter"? Primary schimary, whoever wins will need every last vote the machines won't steal.) Then come the crazy photos and the snarky remarks. The experience factor...which befuddles me, as the world has changed so much in the past 5 years that 20 years of experience aludes to the idea you're mired in the past. Much doesn't get past me.

The next big head to head is Texas and Ohio, where even old Bill admits that if Hils loses there she can hang it up. And according to the polls, she needs to start looking for a nail, because even with wins she's still gonna be short without the Superdelegates. And quite frankly I think she needs to see about nice appointment somewhere quiet (Ambassador to Tahiti sounds nice) and shut up about the whole thing. She's left a bad taste in the mouths (no pun intended) of the new electorate who've looked past her substance and seen her character, and they prefer the Obama solution, it's Obamatastic!

Then what?

The big spin has been can a black male, albeit one so articulate and well spoken, appeal to enough of the country to win the Presidency over John McCain, the all but annoited Republican candidate, war hero and ... well, white man?

Well it's not just McCain. Even though the current administration's policies have led us into recession, slashed the value of the dollar, created a massive a budget shortfall, started two wars, and taken the torch to civil liberty the conservatives in this country swear that liberals are the worst thing that could happen to America. These same conservatives that were given carte blanche for pretty much seven years and got us into this mess. If Obama wins the nomination, he'll need to put on his life jacket, because the "swift boat" will be coming. And if he wins...why do I believe that somehow a black man will get blamed for all this mess?

It says a lot that the cover of Ebony magazine reads.."In our Lifetime." It kinda says what we really think of equality.

His machine has been running pretty good lately. Let's hope that Big Mama Chicago has a little more juice left to spend.

Barkeep...some of that Perrier.

One down...how many more to go?

Well it's true.

Oprah is magic.

Barak Obama's win the Iowa Caucasus, in which he beat his opponents not across the complete demographic spectrum, beating back the superbly coiffed John Edwards and Hillary "Yes I am evil but I'm on your side" Clinton, speaks of the nations need for change, the issues we have with the status quo, and that yes, one black woman in Chicago really is that powerful.

Okay there were many factors, including the dance-a-thon nature of the actual Democratic Iowa Caucuses (they really do get up and walk over to a sign saying we support this guy, no secret ballot), the weather and fact that it was the week of New Years. I quite frankly would have asked can't we do this in like a few weeks. But they played it anyway and Obama won in nearly every income bracket, and all the damn interest groups. He now takes the lead in New Hampshire, an enviable position.

But half the voters in New Hampshire signed their ballots independents. And the venerable Mr. Clinton lost Iowa the first time he came through, but managed to get a seat in the Oval office. So what's really out there?

Possibly a black president.

There I said it. There are those who say he's not really black, as he's mixed. That because his father was African, as in not of slaves, he's not really black. And I say what everybody else says, if he and I take a road trip to Mississippi and stop in the wrong spot, I don't think they'll check for bonafides as they haul out the rope and setup the portable tree. But then he doesn't need to be black. Oprah likes him. And that's enough for America. Look at Iowa.

The question Obama's people need to look at though, is how popular is Oprah in New Hampshire?

Barkeep...Evan Williams in a dirty glass.