Is it Tuesday already?

Man, I haven't even had time to write about the outcome of the S. Carolina primary yet...

Oh well, let's see. Florida! This is a big one for the Republicans. McCain and Romney have kind of settled in as frontrunners with Giuliani and Huckabee trailing. Giuliani's done after this one. Toast. Fini. An Ex-Contender. His presidential hopes have expired and gone to meet their maker... you get my point.

Huckabee never quite figured out how to build on his Iowa win, and his aimiable brand of extremism seemed less aimiable and more extreme as time went on. He will still have a following, and may win a state or two on Super Tuesday, but he's probably now just angling for a VP nod.

McCain and Romney seem set to duke it out the rest of the way. I'd have to guess McCain is likely to win in the end, as (some) Republicans swallow their dislike of him and concede he's their best chance to win in the fall. Romney has had some good moments, in what I saw of the last debate, he seemed confident and prepared. But I think there is just something in him that people don't quite trust.

On the Dem side, Obama's SC win was big, both in numbers and significance. The fact that Ted Kennedy endorsed him is also significant. But the Clintons--and I think we have to say The Clintons now, don't we?--have shown they're in this to win. They still have the advantage in the big states and on the organizational side. It's a harder road for Obama, but he has a shot.

I just hope the media doesn't make a lot of the inevitable Clinton win in Florida. Clinton, after pledging not to campaign in FLA (another one of those states that broke the DNC rules and is being punished) has all but made direct appeals to Fla. voters. Obviously, she sees a win here as more important than playing by the rules. Florida is easy pickings for Clinton, with its large number of senior citizens. Older voters are Clinton's main strength, so of course she'll win this one. But it wasn't an even playing field, and she muddied the issue further by shadow campaining there.

Predictions:
R: McCain, Romney, Giuliani, Huckabee
D: Clinton, Obama, Edwards