By Big Tent Democrat

I am off now but J. will be back soon. What do you think was the most undercovered story of the past two days? I say Shaq being traded to the Suns. I can not believe what little coverage this has garnered. Shaq was once the best player in the league. And are the Suns worried about their chemistry? How does Shaq possibly fit with a running team especially given his physical problems and age?

If you do not find Shaq as interesting as I do, propose your own undercovered story. This is an Open Thread.

By Big Tent Democrat

This is a silly, absurd story:

Yesterday on "The View," Whoopi Goldberg switched her endorsement from Barack Obama to Hillary Clinton. Whoopi cited Clinton's statement that she would end tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas. Whoopi previously believed that Obama had made that pledge first, but apparently she was mistaken.

Who cares who Whoopi Goldberg supports? And what a dumb reason for switching. So why am I posting about it? To ask you a question - do you think this would be big news if it was the other way around? You think there would be a lot of blog posts about it? Remember that silly precinct captain in Iowa who kept switching? Need I say more?

By Big Tent Democrat

Matt Yglesias writes:

an Obama win would represent an alternation of elites. Important left-of-center people who haven't happened to be the most important left of center people over the past 15 years or so would rise to leadership. A Clinton win would be the return of the people who ran the show in the late 1990s and who continued to be the predominant influence in the 21st century. But in neither case are you getting a real toppling of hierarchies and massive infusion of outsiders.

This is right as far as it goes. What is interesting is where is does NOT go - to discuss the DC Establishment, the Media Establishment and the Establishment blogs. One of the most important functions of the progressive blogs has been its Media criticism. But even here, discussing the issue of who the Establishment supports, a Big Media blogger like Matt ignores the elephant in the room - the Media's unvarnished hatred of Hillary Clinton and its unabashed support for Barack Obama. The utter silence on this from Establishment bloggers like Yglesias is further proof of my claim that the various establishments not part of the Clinton Establishment are for Obama. To me it is obvious that Obama is the candidate of the non-Clinton Democratic Establishment, the DC Establishment, the Media Establishment and Establishment bloggers.

***

Original Post: 2/6/08

Bad news from Attorney General Michael Mukasey today. In written testimony to be delivered at a House Judiciary Committee hearing tomorrow, he will ask Congress to block the release of crack offenders currently serving sentences except for first-time, non-violent offenders. It's unclear whether Congress would act in time.

More....

Mitt Romney has suspended his campaign.

John McCain effectively sealed the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday as chief rival Mitt Romney suspended his faltering presidential campaign. "I must now stand aside, for our party and our country," Romney prepared to tell conservatives.

Romney says if he doesn't get out now, he increases the chance of a Hillary or Obama win in November. He adds:

"I disagree with Senator McCain on a number of issues, as you know. But I agree with him on doing whatever it takes to be successful in Iraq, on finding and executing Osama bin Laden, and on eliminating al-Qaida and terror," Romney said.

"Finding and executing?" How about a trial first or saying you are going to bring him to justice? Those Republicans....

And what about Huckabee? Will he drop out next or stay and try to pick up Romney's religious supporters?

Barack Obama isn't the only one raising money. I'm adding to Big Tent's post, from Hillary Clinton's website -- they've raised $4 million in 24 hours from 35,000 contributors:

Not only did we celebrate huge victories for Hillary all over the country on Super Tuesday, but you matched our success with a breathtaking show of support. You exceeded our $3 million goal in less than 24 hours. In fact, we've already hit FOUR MILLION DOLLARS! Incredible! And so far, more than 35,000 people -- 35,000! -- have made online contributions.

Your response has been so amazing that we are doubling our goal: $6 million in 72 hours.

This race isn't over.

By Big Tent Democrat

Although Barack Obama is significantly outraising Hillary Clinton since Super Tuesday, raising 7 million since Super Tuesday to Clinton's 4 million since yesterday, honestly the Clinton campaign has to be breathing a sigh of relief. This kind of online fundraising has never been a Clinton campaign focus so this was semi-uncharted waters for them. That they have raised 4 million dollars in the course of about 36 hours is a heck of an effort for them. There is deeper and more committed grassroots support for Hillary Clinton than many of us, probably including the Clinton campaign realized.

Clearly Obama has the fundraising edge, but if these trends hold, it is not THE decisive edge. This campaign will not be solely decided by Obama's money if this holds.

In the end, this is really good news for ALL Democrats. The candidates have supporters, not opposers of the other candidate. While it is clear that the Media and the Establishment blogs give Obama support based in large measure because of their dislike of Clinton, it is good to see that both Obama and Clinton draw their grassroots support as a result of ACTUAL support, not opposition to the other candidate.

I'm so glad to see I'm not the only one a bit turned off by the messianic fervor Barack Obama is generating. Jake Tapper at ABC News lists a few others.

Katherine Greier at TPM Cafe, an Obama supporter, writes:

"Excuse me, but this sounds more like a cult than a political campaign. The language used here is the language of evangelical Christianity – the Obama volunteers speak of 'coming to Obama' in the same way born-again Christians talk about 'coming to Jesus.'...So I say, we should all get a grip, stop all this unseemly mooning over Barack, see him and the political landscape he is a part of in a cooler, clearer, and more realistic light, and get to work."

Joe Klein at Time Magazine points out the Obama gap between inspiration and substance:

More...

By Big Tent Democrat

Let me get this out of the way first - given Hillary Clinton's money woes, Barack Obama would be crazy to agree to once a week debates with Hillary Clinton. He is coldly and remorselessly pressing his money advantage by NOT debating her. I would think less of him if he did agree to debate once a week.

But this does underscore a fact that is always glossed over if not simply falsely spoken about - Barack Obama is a run of the mill politician in his tactics. There is no "new" politics here. Even worse, his "unity schtick" is not good for the Democratic Party and Dem values. It may be good for the Party of Obama, but that remains to be seen. But one thing is clear, this is politics as usual:

When asked whether he would accept the invitation from Mrs. Clinton to attend four more debates in the coming weeks, he laughed. “I don’t think anybody is clamoring for more debates,” he said. “We’ve had 18 debates so far. I think we’ve had 10 more than we’ve had in the last Democratic contest.”

That is a pol being a pol. And good for Obama. But please, no more about how he is transcending the usual politics. There has been one one on one debate. Just one. And it was a terrific debate. As a citizen, I say more please. As a Democrat I say more please. As an admirer of Abraham Lincoln, I say more please. But Barack Obama is a pol, doing what is best for his campaign. As he should. Being a pol is what he is supposed to do.

The feds have been busy in New York -- as have their counterparts in Italy. In New York, 50 alleged mobsters were arrested today and charged in an 80 count Indictment.

From the news description, it sounds like the case is heavily built on snitch testimony.

Charles Carneglia was charged with five murders, including court officer Albert Gelb in 1976, gangster Louis DiBono in 1990, armored car guard Jose Delgado Rivera in 1990 and Gambino associate Salvatore Puma in 1983. Nick Corozzo was charged with murdering Robert Arena and Thomas Maranga, two drug dealers in Brooklyn, in 1996.

Those murders are so old, the most likely way new evidence was developed was by getting it from someone who claims to have been there or have first-hand knowledge they decided to pass on to the feds. Will they have some forensics to back up the charges, or rely totally on the turncoats?

The New York Times analyzes Super Tuesday and concludes the "movement" and fervor that has become the hallmark of the Barack Obama presidential campaign fell short. Not that it petered out, just that as in New Hampshire, it failed to meet expectations.

One telling sign: Last minute voters tended to go for Hillary.

Throughout a week when Mr. Obama was campaigning with members of the Kennedy family, when there was a sense that he was creating a movement that cut across racial and generational lines, there was a steady movement of Democrats toward Mr. Obama, the survey suggested. But those who reported making their decision on the last day bucked the trend, tending to vote for Mrs. Clinton, of New York.

What it may mean: The fervor for Obama may not translate into votes. [More...]

Election results are so close in New Mexico that tomorrow morning, officials will begin hand-counting 17,000 provisional ballots.

Provisional ballots are given to voters who show up to the wrong site, whose names are not on registered voter lists provided by the state or who requested an absentee ballot but signed an affidavit saying they did not return it.

As of tonight, with one precinct left, Hillary Clinton is leading Barack Obama by 1,000 votes.

With 183 of 184 of precincts reporting, Hillary Rodham Clinton held a lead of 1,092 votes — 67,921 votes compared to 66,829 for Barack Obama, according to preliminary results posted on the state Democratic Party's Web site.

Officials from both campaigns will be present for the count, but the news media is excluded.

At stake for Hillary and Obama: dividing up New Mexico's 26 committed delegates. There are also 12 superdelegates who can vote how they want once they get to the convention in Denver.

With the race this close, it looks like a split of 26 delegates, whoever wins. I guess the rest is about bragging rights.