So, the Republicans have a nominee that conservatives don't trust and Democrats are still fighting over the two they love the most.

Wasn't it just a little over two months ago that we were wondering if, and kind of hoping, that the Republicans would have a brokered convention? What a civics lesson it would be! Fast forward to present day, it's the first week of March, and the Republicans have their nominee--probably the fastest nomination ever thanks to an accelerated schedule.

And the Democrats. The lovefest continues. And it's likely to continue for a long time, considering how weeks now seem like months and months seem like years. The next primary in Pennsylvania doesn't happen until April or something, and then you have some that don't vote until May.

Neither Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama have enough delegates to reach the magic number any sooner than May, probably.

So, in the meantime, the media attention continues on Clinton and Obama--and given the kind of coverage they've been getting, by the media or form each other, all kinds of things could come out between now and there being a definitive nominee.

And, there's always a chance it will go to the convention. And even if it doesn't, it's bound to be interesting there because both of them are going to have a bunch of delegates that won't just be handed over lightly.

Plus there's the superdelegates, the possible seating of the Michigan and Florida delegates, which may or may not mean a second ballot in those two states and who's going to pay for a revote?

It takes a lot of energy just to go out and vote once. What's it going to take to get people out to another one?

Meanwhile, John McCain can lie low and avoid a lot of bad press. The argument can be made that he probably should have some press, any press, so that people don't forget him, but then, both Clinton and Obama have to invoke his name in order to make them look like they're fighting him, rather than each other, so he's not going to totally disappear from the public eye.

Besides, since he is the nominee, he could be doing some behind the scenes work now, to come up with a running mate and maybe a more concrete economic policy and maybe find someway to placate us rascally conservatives.

So, buckle up and enjoy the ride.

While the Democrat presidential candidates had their last debate yesterday, the Republican presidential candidates, those still in the race and a couple who are not, have been making news, but not necessarily in a positive way.

While the flap over the New York Times John McCain article is dying down somewhat, there is speculation that the Times does indeed have more and for whatever reasons is waiting to reveal it.

Meanwhile, coverage of McCain on the campaign trail is waning, because he doesn't have a viable contender. Supposedly, Huckabee is supposed to be doing that, but his coverage is also disappearing despite his reoccurring appearances on television. The debate of who made Huckabee between spoof artist Stephen Colbert and late late night talk show host Conan O'Brien may have been settled, but he was most recently on Saturday Night Live where, in the sketch, he didn't know when it was time to leave. Apparently, he's spending the money which finally started coming in, because as a sparring partner, he hasn't been much of one.

Then there was the interview with Josh Romney, who is contemplating a run for US Congress. He was asked if his father, former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney would rejoin the race if somehow McCain's campaign crashed and burned over the allegations of sex and corruption with a Washington lobbyist. The younger Romney said it was possible, but unlikely, his father would come back, but then stories emerged everywhere talking about the "possibility" of the elder Romney's return. More responsible journalism, I suppose.

There is a need to keep this exciting and at the forefront, apparently. With the surge working in Iraq, with Iran out of the news for the time being, and no other major threat on the horizon (remember all of the plagues from a year or so go--what's happened to Bird Flu and Mad Cow?) except for global warming, trying to spice up the nearly determined Republican primary and the clarifying Democrat primary would seem to be what some find newsworthy.

Don't know how many other people know this, but I just found out Janet Huckabee's maiden name is McCain. I haven't found anything that suggests that she and Senator McCain are somehow related, but boy, would that explain things. Even when trying to contrast himself with Senator McCain, Huckabee was nothing but congenial. Such couldn't be said with regards to Romney, who seemed to draw the ire of everyone, not just Huckabee.

Things have been downright tame over the last couple of weeks for the Republicans, whereas the Democrats have been all over the map as the Hillary Clinton campaign does everything they can to derail the Barack Obama express. If something doesn't happen to change things, it will be a McCain vs. Obama in the general election.

While conservatives have their differences with McCain or a few fronts, they will be virtually opposite on every issue with Obama. The Democrats don't seem to care about substance or experience. They want someone they can like, who can win based on style. They want change, regardless of what it is.

Coming under Jihad rule would definitely be change. So would higher taxes. So would a liberal Supreme Court, which has been steadily becoming constructionist.

Can a 72-year old straight talker with 20-plus years in the US Senate defeat a 46-year old with charm and grace who has yet to finish his first term in the Senate?

You would think experience and substance would win out over style. What in this election cycle has gone exactly according to plan. The inevitability of McCain apparently was true. The inevitability of Clinton isn't as evident, but she and her husband are attributed with enough underhandedness that she might yet steal the day.