I don't know if we care, but I'm feeling pretty good about the way things are turning out for the Democrats. How do I feel about Hillary? I feel bad that this wasn't her time, it's unfortunate we were pitting these 2 against each other. But there's this idea of GRACEFULLY bowing out. It's time to support the party's (apparent) candidate. Tim Russert was on the news last night with his famous board, showing us how many superdelegates, delegates, primaries, etc. Hillary would need to earn the nomination. According to him she'd have to win every primary coming up in order to make it. Well, come on, Hil, what's up with that? I think the political process is pretty interesting. I came across this today--a list of mistakes Hillary made. Sometimes I love political analysis. Other times I think there are too many of pompous asses involved in the media, who just make things up. Maybe it's because I really enjoyed studying history lo, those many years ago, and I like collecting information and coming up with theories--anyway, one analyst's thoughts on Hil's mistakes:

She made at least five big mistakes, each of which compounded the others:
1. She misjudged the mood
That was probably her biggest blunder. In a cycle that has been all about change, Clinton chose an incumbent's strategy, running on experience, preparedness, inevitability - and the power of the strongest brand name in Democratic politics. It made sense, given who she is and the additional doubts that some voters might have about making a woman Commander in Chief. But in putting her focus on positioning herself to win the general election in November, Clinton completely misread the mood of Democratic-primary voters, who were desperate to turn the page.
2. She didn't master the rules
Clinton picked people for her team primarily for their loyalty to her, instead of their mastery of the game. Democrats, unlike the Republicans, apportion their delegates according to vote totals, rather than allowing any state to award them winner-take-all. And yet the strategy remained the same, with the campaign making its bet on big-state victories. Even now, it can seem as if they don't get it. Both Bill and Hillary have noted plaintively that if Democrats had the same winner-take-all rules as Republicans, she'd be the nominee.
Meanwhile, the Clinton campaign now acknowledges privately:
3. She underestimated the caucus states
While Clinton based her strategy on the big contests, she seemed to virtually overlook states like Minnesota, Nebraska and Kansas, which choose their delegates through caucuses. She had a reason: the Clintons decided, says an adviser, that "caucus states were not really their thing." Indeed, it was in the caucus states that Obama piled up his lead among pledged delegates. "For all the talent and the money they had over there," says Axelrod, "they - bewilderingly - seemed to have little understanding for the caucuses and how important they would become."
4. She relied on old money
For a decade or more, the Clintons set the standard for political fund-raising in the Democratic Party, and nearly all Bill's old donors had re-upped for Hillary's bid. Something happened to fund-raising that Team Clinton didn't fully grasp: the Internet. Though Clinton's totals from working the shrimp-cocktail circuit remained impressive by every historic measure, her donors were typically big-check writers.
And that reflects one final mistake: 5. She never counted on a long haul
Clinton's strategy had been premised on delivering a knockout blow early. If she could win Iowa, she believed, the race would be over. Clinton spent lavishly there yet finished a disappointing third. Now, of course, the question seems not whether Clinton will exit the race but when. The voice she is listening to now is the one inside her head.


As I say, I think this is really interesting. Probably not everyone does, but to me it strengthens support for Obama because of his recognition and belief in a new way of conducting the political process. I sure hope so, anyway. I remember when Bill Clinton took office I thought, "He'll never be able to get anything done because he doesn't understand Capitol Hill and has no inside power." It took him a while to gather a posse to accomplish much, but he was able to offer this country a lot. Obama has a slight advantage, having served in the Senate. Not long, though, which certainly is part of his appeal. Hillary is stuck with the association of her husband's past and her own connections in DC, and that's not what enough people want right now.

And in the mean time, there are leaves on some of the trees (poplars), the shad is in bloom and this morning I noticed the witch hobble/hobble bush is blooming. I've been doing a little gardening, trying to free my 25-year old tea rose from the invasion of the brambleberry bushes. Yesterday we had a plant swap here and, though no one was much interested in my Sweet Cicely, I took home some purple phlox, black-eyed Susan, coral bells, hosta, Siberian irises and other things.

Most of my perennials were dug under by Peter's backhoe in the fall, but I'm having fun watching them pop up in myriad places around the yard. I have lilies in some very funny places, and clumps of daffodils in the middle of the yard. Last night I bought a hoe and have lofty aspirations of busting the sod that's taken over my former annual bed so I can have annuals share it with perennials. The perennials I ordered are starting to come in so I have to hustle. I don't even remember what I ordered, I just kept going to websites and ordering what looked good. You know, impulse buying, supporting the economy. Plants probably came from Canada.