The Economist's campaign blog had an interesting post from the other night positing a new low for punditry. A strong claim is being made that Chris Matthews* (and presumably his industry kith) are unable to objectively hate on Hilary, thus increasing the compassion voters have for her. It makes sense, if you think about it in an irrational way -- and most voters vote irrationally. I can see many people, especially women, saying to themselves "Well she's been through so much already and Obama is winning by a lot, so I'll just vote for her to make her feel better".
As far as the recount goes, I think it will have little effect on the outcome. It's unlikely that Hilary swindled anyone. I think more independents voted for McCain over Obama (and Ron Paul) and more people turned out in general. Hilary has more support from voters than Obama does and the loss of the indie vote to McCain hurt him more than we realize. I think Clinton was (pleasantly) surprised by the NH win, expecting a second place finish instead. Even if something suspicious did happen, it's going to be nearly impossible to connect Hilary to voter fraud. It's not like Bush himself rigged the election in 2000. We like to say he stole the election, but it's more plausible that Republican operatives rigged the vote in Republican held districts than that Bush directed them to steal the vote for him. The orders for voter fraud are more likely to come from the party than the candidate. Also, if there was voter fraud, you can bet that the parties do not want it openly reported to the public and here's why:

1. Apathetic voters will be even less likely to come to the polls.
2. It will seem like the candidates are already chosen and this is only a dog-and-pony show.
3. It gives the edge to the other party in terms of ethical reputation, potentially hurting the
entire part in the Congressional elections (occurring the same day as the Presidential vote).
And finally,
4. It cements the suspicions that the public has about how votes are meaningless, politics are
inclusive of the people, politicians are calculating, power-greedy, and patronizing. It will
demoralize the voters and make the elections even less credible.

*The most disturbing thing about this whole theory is Chris Matthews. He's a pundit's pundit who looks like he's having the slowest stroke in history. The worse thing about him is that he can't even laugh. Instead of producing the sound of laughter that all humans make when they're amused, he actually pronounces the word (HA!) that represents the act.

Recount! Recount!

In case you haven't heard, there's going to be a recount for the New Hampshire Primary.

Some of us right here at American Other suggested that there might have been something hinkey going on with New Hampshire, so we're pleased that officials will be reconsidering the ballots. Of course, if some sort of tampering or unfairness occurred in the first place, I have difficulty believing that it wouldn't happen with a recount as well.

Of course, this whole situation recalls the 2000 election, though there's a lot less at stake at the moment.*

I have no doubt that the election results will change in some way, though I doubt they will change much for Kucinich (who is instigating the recount with Republican Albert Howard--they fronted the $2,000 needed to start the process).

I think the recount will give Ron Paul a boost and, in fact, I find his primary results to be most suspicious. I also think that percentages will change for both Obama and Edwards and that Hillary Clinton will prove to have less support.

Why is Kucinich doing that? Clearly, his 1.4% won't be increasing to the levels that would make him a viable candidate. I think he has a few reasons:

• The Principle--Aren't you inherently skeptical of most polls? I know I am. Having a recount would give us another data set to consider. Of course, it'll probably just make me continue to distrust results, and I'll want another recount. If, however, the results are close enough, then maybe I'll have more faith in the act of election (though certainly not in the morons doing the electing!)
• Folk Heroism--If Kucinich's recount initiative uncovers some dirty laundry, he will gain my admiration. He might even gain my vote! Okay, since I've been considering electability in my voting (and apparently the large body of Obama and Clinton voters don't care about this and are willing to turn over the reigns to President Huckabee), I probably wouldn't go vote for Kucinich, but I'd certainly tell everyone how cool he is. Maybe I'll put a picture of him on my wall, next to all my Star Wars paraphernalia.
• Making Votes Count--Have all the voters had their votes counted? Kucinich wants some assurance.
  

What do you think will happen?

*Much is at stake in the election proper, but this is only the beginning. There is still time for America--and Edwards--to rise.

Rani Calls Richardson

Does anyone remember yesterday, when I predicted that Richardson would (a la Wilson-Phillips) "hold on for one more day"?

Well, some day somebody's gonna make you want to turn around and say goodbye. Until then, baby, are you going to let them hold you down and make you cry?

I was right! Richardson dropped out of the election today.

The Rapture Draws Nigh; Don't Bother to Wash Your Car

Foul sinners, the Reverend Gromit here. I am here to talk to you of a terrible, and wonderful, Prophecy of Doom. It is my favorite book of the Good Book(s): the Book of Revelation! You may be already cringing in horror right now which is good practice for the 1000 year rein of Beelzibub.

For you see, key politicians, such as Dick Cheney playing the role of the Anti-Christ, have been hurrying along the torturous firey reign of Satan. And yes, you will all have to wear 666 T-Shirts.

But fortunately for God's good buddies like myself, along with your endless punishment will be the Christian with a capital C Rapture. The Rapture, for those of you who will be fending off 7-headed dragons, is the day when my electric razor will be left by the sink MYSTERIOUSLY STILL RUNNING! With NO ONE SHAVING OR TURNING IT OFF! BUZZ BUZZ, SECULAR HUMANISTS! Not that I shave, but still, pretty spooky.

Yes, that fine day ye shall be "left behind" to battle the agents of Satan and perhaps be eaten by a friendly demon. Not me, though! I'm going--body and soul--straight to that great big Branson in the sky. While you cry the eternal tears of the damned, I'll be having Mai Tais with Billy Ray Cyrus, Lisa Welchel and of course Chuck Norris. And of course Mike "I only sinned once, and I was a baby" Huckabee will be playing bass in the all Christian Rock All-Star Band (not everything is perfect even in God's Heaven.)

Many of us, the LORDish, have been researching in the field of Rapturology trying to divine exactly when Ragnarok will occur. Ragnarok is, of course, when Jesus, Thor and Superman have a tag-team cage-match with Lucifer, Judas Priest and George Soros.

So shall I give to thee more good news, sons of Cain! There are several telling passages in the Book of Revelation that have recently come to fruition:

6: And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

As you may recall, the great and mighty W never hurts the oil.

14: And didst the mighty she-wolf of Arkansas feed on the fish of sin.

I think we know who this is about.

18: Soon shall the stars fall down from the sky as the tree doth shake off its figs.

The writers' strike.

39: And wilst the jingoistic football team smite the sinful AFC East.

No idea what this means.

Taken together, even the youngest Hell-bound Buddist child can see that the end is nigh. I do feel sad that Michael Zebadiah Huckabee will never be President. For soon the LORD shall snatcheth him away. Huckabee will leave behind an unoccupied golf cart on the rolling fairways of Augusta.

Ron Paul will still be here, though. You'll pray for the lake of fire.

Everyone's a Comback Kid

No, seriously. In The Washington Post this morning, at least two people have been labeled "Comeback Kids": Hillary Clinton and John McCain. No doubt that after South Carolina, Edwards and Obama will become "Comeback Kids," as will Huckabee when he takes another state.

I'm not sure how far back this "Comeback Kid" business goes, but it's definitely a term that got applied to Clinton the first before the 1992 election. I think Bill gave himself the moniker after he lost to Paul Tsongas in the New Hampshire primary but wound up taking the state on election night--by a large percentage.* And this is why Hillary *isn't* the new "Comeback Kid."

Now, I'm not exactly sure what the people of New Hampshire were thinking, but clearly some of them must have been smoking the wacky tabacky last night when they went to the polls for Clinton. (Don't think Rani doesn't know what goes on at Hampshire College--or at Dartmouth for that matter.) But even though Clinton won the primary, it was hardly by a large percentage. In fact, CNN held off on projecting the winner because the primary was pretty close. This wasn't some Comeback Kid, large percentage victory.

Don't be fooled by these tactics being employed by the Hillary camp.

Hate to tell you, but Hillary really is a robot from a galaxy far, far away. After all the horrors of the past eight years, it's easy to imagine that the Clinton years were this halcyon time when we all rode horsies and unicorns through the puffy clouds. Not so.

Remember Hillary's failed health care policy?
Remember Black Hawk Down and Somalia?
Remember Whitewater?
Remember campaign-finance investigations?
Remember Don't Ask Don't Tell?
Remember the Federal Government Furlough (during which our President was getting a visit from Ol' Blue Dress's Presidential Kneepads--and no, they weren't playing volleyball)?
Remember when Billary claimed they'd be adopting a (special needs) child but conveniently changed their minds after the 1996 election?
Remember Vince Foster (murder or suicide, your guess is as good as mine)?
Remember Bosnia and exaggerated claims of genocide--sounds familiar, eh?
Remember that the Clinton administration brought us the extraordinary rendition used to torture "suspected terrorists" in Syrian black prisons today?

I mention these things because Hillary predicates her experience on her tenure as First Lady. And by all accounts, she wasn't some shrinking violet First Lady who picks out new draperies. She was running the show and telling her husband what to do.

First Lady Macbeth.

Well, I say, "Out, out damn Hillary."

*And by "taking," we might wonder if Bill finished himself off in a sink... as he is wont to do.

Why Are We Letting New Hampshire Decide the Fate of the Free World?

I know I'm not the first person to say this, but I have a "personal story" just like *sniff* Hillary "First Feeling Ever" Clinton.

When I was in college I knew exactly two women from New Hampshire. They did more whippits than anyone I have ever met. One of these girls was just kind of the unexamined life type that might vote for Hillary Clinton or John McCain. The other girl had a cottage cheese type brain which may or may not have been due entirely to whippits but I'm sure it didn't help. Tonight, these two women may be picking your president.

John McCain's bamboo-addled candidacy will undoubtedly wither in the weeks to come. He's 109 years young. But did New Hampshire voters really believe Hillary's "crying?" She didn't even cry! Sociopaths have no empathy.

But these morons in New Hampshire may have breathed new life into a woman who cannot win the presidency. These Democrats may have given the flat lining Republicans a new Dick Cheney-style pacemaker. Did you ever notice that New Hampshire looks kind of like a can of Reddi-Whip?

Rani picked the Repubs!

CNN projected McCain as the winner, with Romney in second, and Huckabee in third.

Edwards has been projected to come in third, with a tight race between Clinton and Obama. Clinton appears to be leading. Snarff has declared his intentions to commit seppuku.

Election drop-outs

We spend so much time on the top contenders here that I'd like to give a shout out to the less-successful candidates. To that end, here are my predictions on who will drop out and when.

Richardson: No stranger to snark from our blog, Richardson will hold on for one more day (in the words of Wilson Phillips).

Kucinich: He *should* drop out (aw, little Yoda) but I think he will never know when to quit and will soldier on until he flat out runs out of cash.

Gravel: Dropping out tonight, mark my words.

Rani's NH Predictions

Any guesses on what might happen tonight?

For the Repubs, I'm predicting: McCain, Romney, Huckabee. Buoyed by their NH stats, all three will stay in the race.

For the Dems, I'll say: Obama, Edwards, Clinton. All three will stay in as well.

First to Vote Dixville Notch in NH Hates Clinton

Check back in with American Other today for periodic updates on the New Hampshire Primary.

Nothing much going on at the moment, except for little Dixville Notch making their disdain for Clinton known. So it's not the most important news of the day, but it's early. Polls close at 8pm.

In the meantime, feel free to entertain yourself with the following video, in which Hillary pretends to be human. When asked how she does it, Hillary lowers her voice and speaks hesitantly, as if trying to convince voters that she really isn't the freaky robot that we know her to be. Note the melodramatic crack in her voice and the desperate attempt to blink some tears into her eyes. Boo hoo, Hill. Boo hoo.