Two Other Ones Bite the Dust

"The Music Man" is probably the only time anyone has ever written a song actually extolling the virtues of Gary, Indiana. (Well, we also had "Shuffle Off to Buffalo", and "I Left My Heart in Youngstown".) (I'm just kidding about that last one.) But since Indiana and North Carolina are experiencing their 15 minutes of fame today, allow me to make a few very modest predictions. As usual, despite the urgings of various commentators who really would like to see this whole thing wrapped up once and for all, for the good of America, and "the system", and "the party", and so forth, no one is going to quit, no matter the outcome of today's votes. Expecting Hillary to drop out of a presidential race voluntarily is like expecting a hard-core junkie to just wake up one morning and decide heroin is just not for him, but thanks anyway. And of course Obama will stay in because he still, after all this time, doesn't realize what he's up against. The Democratic Machine will flex its muscles at the convention, like some sort of evil killer robot "transformer", and render poor Obama road kill. But up to that point he'll think he still has a chance. While Hillary seems to be grasping at straws and using ever-more-trivial "talking points" against Obama, she is fat, happy, and secure in that she alone possesses the secret weapon that will _really_ determine the outcome, i.e. she and her so-called husband are co-owners of the Democratic Party and of all the appurtenances thereof. Ain't nobody gonna kick her out of her own house, no matter what anyone says or thinks. And just in case she ever has an occasional "dark night" -- in case the shadow of a doubt ever passes over her mind -- she has the good fortune to be married to the premier political junkie of all time, and he will provide all the reassurance that is needed. Deprive the Clintons of power? Might as well deprive Dracula of blood -- or W. C. Fields of whisky -- or George Bush of Slim Jims. It just ain't done. So rest assured, tomorrow will dawn just like any other day in living memory -- another 24 hours in which the latest fixed wrestling match among Democrats can be fought on.