I'm predicting a HRC win by 8% in the commonwealth. Would I be happy? A bit. Any lower than 5 and that's an Obama "win". Lower than 10% could also be spun as a win by Obama, but HRC could continue to the next round. Higher than 10% is what HRC needs to do to actively stay alive, although her delegate count probably won't move much, or her total popular vote count.

Unlike Ohio, I think most people are predicting around 8%, so the expectations have been gamed somewhat better than Ohio.

We'll see...in order for HRC to actually have a chance, she'd need to best Obama by an absurd amount (20%) to pull in enough popular votes and delegates to make it competitive.

What t-shirt do I want this week? Simple:

"Mentally Challenged Gun Owner"

Who wouldn't buy that?

Last night's debate was singularly awful. The candidates did their best, but the moderation by ABC was simply dreadful. Near the end, I just wanted it to stop. Only Obama's closing statement seemed to rise above the boring, brainless banter.

Update: there's more right here.

In perhaps the most embarrassing performance by the media in a major presidential debate in years, ABC News hosts Charles Gibson and George Stephanopolous focused mainly on trivial issues as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama faced off in Philadelphia.

Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the health care and mortgage crises, the overall state of the economy and dozens of other pressing issues had to wait for their few moments in the sun as Obama was pressed to explain his recent "bitter" gaffe and relationship with Rev. Wright (seemingly a dead issue) and not wearing a flag pin while Clinton had to answer again for her Bosnia trip exaggerations.

Then it was back to Obama to defend his slim association with a former '60s radical -- a question that came out of rightwing talk radio and Sean Hannity on TV, but delivered by former Bill Clinton aide Stephanopolous. This approach led to a claim that Clinton's husband pardoned two other '60s radicals. And so on.

More time was spent on all of this than segments on getting out of Iraq and keeping people from losing their homes and other key issues. Gibson only got excited when he complained about anyone daring to raise taxes on his capital gains.

Craziness!

The al-qaeda memo is priceless:

"I obtained 75,000 rupees for you and your family's trip to Egypt. I learned that you did not submit the voucher to the accountant, and that you made reservations for 40,000 rupees and kept the remainder claiming you have a right to do so. . . . Also with respect to the air-conditioning unit, . . . furniture used by brothers in Al Qaeda is not considered private property. . . . I would like to remind you and myself of the punishment for any violation."

Craziness!