So, I did something I rarely do these day:  I watched Meet the Press.  On it, former Senator Tom Daschle and Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania were debating about many things:  the delegate count, the role of superdelegates, who’s more electable, who’s more qualified and the thought of Clinton and Obama being on the same ticket.  Of course, they disagree on the issue of delegate count and the role of superdelegates.  Daschle, and Obama supporter believes it would be wrong for superdelegates to subvert the will of the people (I agree, by the way), while Rendell stands by the Clinton campaign belief that the superdelegates are there to make sure the most electable person is the party’s nominee.  Regardless of what these two say, if the Democrats go into their convention with no clear nominee, and Barak Obama retains his clear delegate lead, it will be damn difficult for these people make a choice different than the voters.  I certainly wouldn’t do that, even if I was Clinton-supporting superdelegate.

The issue of electability and qualifications is, I think, a moot point.  Both Clinton and Obama are electable.  Most polls show them both able to win the desired number of electoral college votes to win the presidency.  On the issue of qualifications to be president, I really think this is not something that resonates with the voters.  I mean, Bill Clinton had little to recommend him, and he was a fine president.  George W. Bush had even less to recommend him, and while he’s been a lousy president it had nothing to do with qualifications.  Hillary Clinton keeps saying she has all the qualifications.  What are those?  The fact that she was married to a president?  That’s she’s spent a few years serving on the Armed Services Committee? I’m sorry, but those are not exactly qualifications to crow about.  For that matter, what makes John McCain so much more qualified?  The fact that he one served in the military?  That he experienced one of the most horrific things any person can experience?  That he’s spent most of his life in the Senate?  I may respect John McCain for his service and for surviving an ordeal I’m not so sure I could survive, but that doesn’t make him any more qualified than Clinton or Obama — regardless of what Senator Clinton says.

On the issue of having both Clinton and Obama on the same ticket, I also think this is a moot point.  MTP’s round table discussion made the point that no matter what happens, we will most likely see both of these people on the ticket in November.  The party is pretty much split down the middle between Clinton and Obama, but when one of them becomes the nominee for president the party will rally around that person.  That being said, I do think that some voters will not vote for a candidate they didn’t want, but I think that’s a small minority.  The party will be damn lucky to have either one of these people at the top.  However, a ticket that includes both of these people would be, I believe, damn near unstoppable.  The only block to this?  Ego, and right now I think it’s Hillary Clinton’s ego that would be the biggest roadblock if Obama keeps his delegate lead.

I’ve only been peripherally keeping track of the race for the congressional district of former Speaker of the House Denny Hastert, but when I wake up this morning see that not only did the Democrats take what is supposed to be a “red” district, and a good majority, I found myself wondering, “Is this a taste of things to come?”  Republicans have to be worried about what this means for the November elections.  McCain is not on the front pages like the Democratic candidates are (at least when Senator Clinton isn’t talking about him) and most post show Senator McCain losing by various margin to either Obama or Clinton.  I’m not a one to rely all that much on polls; I mean, most polls have Vice-President Al Gore a good lead over then Governor George W. Bush up until the final month of the election.  However, the Republicans cannot be happy about this; especially since they poured so much money into this one.

For Democrats, I think this is very good psychological win, especially for Team Obama because they so vocally supported Foster.  It would be nice if the Dems could solidify their majorities in the House and Senate so even if John McCain wins in November they will have a little power to control some of what he does.