Locked and loaded

First, happy birthday to TD-Mother-in-Law.
And then… let’s talk about our Democratic nominee-designate, Sen. Barack Obama (he wasn’t at the class reunion dinner last night– surprise, surprise– though he was mentioned numerous times during speeches, particularly by one Prof. Emeritus Karl-Ludwig Selig). Today, Obama has taken two major leaps forward yesterday toward securing the Presidency.
As to thing the first, the Rules & By-Laws Committee’s deliberations are now behind us, the Committee having decided to “go half-sies” on FL and MI, giving Sen. Clinton a net pick-up of 24 delegates in contests she once agreed didn’t count, and naturally, since this fails to mask the sad reality (to her) that Sen. Clinton was actually eliminated several weeks ago after failing to close any ground in North Carolina and Indiana, it is her side that purports to be pissed about it! The decision seems to have already paid dividends for Obama, as Florida Congressman Alcee Hastings (one time impeached and removed from the federal judiciary for taking bribes) has announced his intention to boycott the Convention. Needless to say, it’s Black politicians like Alcee Hastings from whom Obama desperately needs to distance himself, and so if it takes this theatrical pique to do it… good. (And good riddance to Hastings; if only he’ll boycott the party altogether.)
And on to thing the second… and speaking of things from which Obama needs to distance himself, to take a future horse-s*** “Stephanopolous/Gibson/Russert, et al.” issue off the table, Obama formally withdrew from membership at Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ (former home of Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s pulpit). Given that his membership in said church not only failed to quell the Hillary-sponsored vicious rumors that Obama is a Muslim, but it allowed Rev. Wright to be played as if he were, like Simon what’s-his-name-from-Idol, or Jack Bauer or, you know, someone important, best that Obama cut bait and get that sort of thing in the past. To his credit, Obama had previously tried to handle the Wright thing intellectually, like a grown-up. He has now learned what that will accomplish in today’s poisoned media and political environment, and so he has finally done the smart thing: go Macchiavellian and just cut the freaking ties (God knows, it’s what Hillary would do).
And so… it’s on to Puerto Rico, which Al Giordano predicts Hillary will win, and then Obama will win SD and MT on Tuesday, and close out pledged delegate season needing just over two-dozen super-delegates to officially close out clinching the nomination (which he actually clinched some time ago).
And so… it’ll be on to Denver… locked and loaded!