Here We Go Again!

Time is running out for Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama. Their duel for the Democratic presidential nomination is close to finished. Indiana and North Carolina today hold the final big group of pledged delegates before the process ends June 3rd. Today's contests won't solve the nomination puzzle any more than Texas, Pennsylvania, and Ohio did.

Finally, in the home stretch of this latest battle, do we hear talk of issues the American people have as concerns. The squabble over a gas tax holiday is a line of demarcation between Clinton and Obama we've rarely seen. Even this, however, doesn't change expectations for both. Clinton must win Indiana, decisively some say, and Obama must do the same in North Carolina.

Then what? We'll pretty much watching the same immovable landscape as before. The only thing that changes is the slow drip of superdelegates, most moving toward Obama. It does seem more likely that in the end they will decide who runs against John McCain. Then there remains the thorny issue of what to do about Florida and Michigan. Keep in mind when the Clinton camp does their delegate count, both states are included. Assuming she doesn't quit the race before Denver, she'll fight for their inclusion. 

At some point, party elders will have to take a long look at this 2008 election cycle, and decide if the process needs to change. Of course, a lot will depend on whether the Democrats win the White House. Maybe it shouldn't. A long, drawn out nomination process eventually burns out many of its participants.

To say nothing of the voters.   

Random Notes From NYC

A lot of people have been saying celebrities needed to step up and make their voices heard regarding the acquittals in the Sean Bell case. Several hip-hop stars have spoken out, but leave it to Jay-Z to take it to the next level. 

Published reports say he's set up trust funds for Sean Bell's two children. The trusts are reportedly of substantial amounts, to be paid when the youngsters become adults. Some may remember the Detective's Endowment Assn. here in New York slammed Bell's widow for appearing an a Roc-a-Wear ad campaign. All one can say is, actions speak louder than words.

Speaking of the Bell case, Rev. Al Sharpton says there will be a number of pray-ins around the city on Wednesday to protest the verdict. He says they will involve civil disobedience, and one could well take place at police headquarters. There's been little word yet on the status, if any, of the federal investigation promised in the wake of the acquittals.

Poor Staten Island Cong. Vito Fossella. First he gets busted for DWI in Virginia. He says he only had one drink. Then comes word his drunk test registered .17 , twice the legal limit. Must've been a BIG drink. Now there are questions about a "mystery woman" who bailed him out. Next time the Giants are at the White House, stay home, congressman!

And finally, yet another public figure admits mistakes in his personal life. That would be Roger Clemens, former star pitcher for the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Astros, and Yankees (did I leave anyone out?). The mistake must have been that long standing relationship he had with a country music star, one that he first denied was sexual. It must have been tough to deny after the woman and her mother said otherwise.

And oh, yeah, the Rocket said again he's never done steroids.

Any believers?  

Go Figure

So here we are again,  just ahead of not one, but two more "crucial" Democratic presidential primaries. Indiana and North Carolina may not solve things any more than Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania did. Certainly the explosion of poll numbers and superdelegate endorsements haven't made things much clearer.

One poll should make the chattering classes sit up and take notice. Americans apparently are getting tired of the end to end coverage this race has spawned. Back in January, only 36% of those surveyed thought there was too much coverage. That number is up to 54%. So much for that old cliche, "The American people want to know".  Seems quite a few people are tired of knowing.

The stakes in Indiana and North Carolina are simple, and its not about win or go home. If Barack Obama wins North Carolina by less than double digits, he'll be portrayed as blowing a big lead. The statements of his former pastor will be dredged up yet again to show how much he's been hurt by them. Conversely, if Hillary Clinton loses Indiana, it will be another nail in her political coffin. Problem is, nobody, least of all Obama, has been able to nail the coffin shut.

Hillary's supposed to have momentum, while Obama racks up superdelegates no matter what Jeremiah Wright says. A more confusing script couldn't have been written by Brian DePalma.  

Bloom Off the Rose

American consumers are finally doing what people do when prices spiral and wages stagnate. They're cutting back. The Commerce Dept. says there's been a sharp pullback in consumer spending. Many economists thought this would happen sooner. Yet the numbers tell us the pullback, though late, has been sharp, and it has consequences for the broader economy.

For most Americans, the numbers may not mean much. Consumer spending is rising at a rate about one third what it was two years ago. This is a function of hikes in the price of gas, transportation, and housing. So it should come as no surprise that non essentials are the first on the household budget chopping block.

The economists call this discretionary spending. Do you go out to eat three, maybe four times a week? Maybe you cut back to once or twice. You hold off buying that iPod for yourself or a loved one. Trips in the car that don't involve work get fewer and fewer. And nobody tells you much of this wouldn't be a problem if you got a raise. They don't tell you because they know your boss isn't planning on giving you one.

It seems like a dim memory back in 2001 and 2002, when President Bush urged America to spend, spend, spend as a way to tell the world we'd gotten over terrorism. He never told us that in the last year of his presidency we'd see both government and the private sector pick our pockets. Now, finally, consumers are getting wise.

It's not going to be pretty.