What was really interesting about Maria Shriver's endorsement of Senatior Obama was that, reportedly, it was such a spontaneous impulse on her part.  It was last minute, she came in "underdressed" (but looking lovely and spectacularly well dressed as always) from her daughter's riding lesson (or comptetition?).  What was less surprising was the fact that her family heritage, being part of the Kennedy clan, who have already had two very prominent members endorse Senator Obama, she was very likely influenced by conversations with other members of that extended family.  What may be less obvious is that California has a lot of "independent minded" females who have voted for and kept two female senators as their representatives in the US Senate for quite some time now.  Senators Boxer and Feinstein may have their own loyalties within the senate as to who they support, but it was not so surprising that Senator Hillary Clinton received a slightly higher percentage of the Super Tuesday votes.

I still find it very encouraging for Senator Obama's campaign that he did so well in California, and had absolutely overwhelming majorities in so many of the smaller population states.  Barack took his entourage to Idaho on Monday, and the result was a 90+% of the votes going to him according to the results I saw on MSNBC, but it was a ridiculously small number of voters in total, fewer than turned out to see him when he visited.

I am trying very hard not to place all my hopes on the outcome I am hoping for, but that would be the Clinton-Obama "dream ticket" that the professional pundits are talking about.  I worry, however, that the nomination "fight" may get nasty and bitter enough that these two excellent politicians really will find it too distasteful to consolidate their strengths to provide us with solid leadership for many, many years to come.  I worry, too, that although the ongoing "contest" for the nomination may tend to hold media attention for some time, that voters may tire of it before the real "meat" of the campaign begins in the arena of Republicans versus Democrats, and who will be President, not just who will be annointed as "presidential candidate".  Let us hope that whatever comes that the early emergence of Senator McCain on the Repulican side does not end up giving him an unfair advantage as he snipes a both possible Democratic leaders.

Love,

Stafford "Doc" Williamson

p.s. Pardon my blatant self-interest here, but the ads I see next to this discussion go 1. Clinton, 2. Obama, 3. Clinton, 4. Chinese diet, so I hope no one will mind that I mention my new "UNdiet" website at  http://undietlifestyle.winfotech.com which has some good suggestion for NOT going on that "tomorrow diet" and a wide selection of videos as well.