What Stood Out This Week - 1/13-1/19

Oh, the voting continues today, dear B&E readers, and three or four states into the process, depending on the party, we've got no clear front runner in either party. So let's see What Stood Out This Week. (And just to reiterate the rules, I do this without browsing current news outlets, so it's all from memory of the week.)

Democrats
Dennis Kucinich (and I assume Mike Gravel) was barred from another debate, because it's the major news media that decides whom we should be taking seriously as candidates. This week I offer a fond "fuck you" to NBC for making such a decision.

John Edwards is having a hell of a time being taken seriously as a true contender. Even when he finishes between the two supposed front-runners or polls ahead of them, he's constantly ignored in coverage. It's like he's just a thorn in the side of the good story. Who wants another rich white dude in office, when we could have a rich white woman or a rich black man?

Hillary and Barack have officially called some sort of truce about their various racial issues. Something that was no big deal was made a big deal and honestly I'm not sure that ultimately anyone cared. But for a moment it appeared that the Democratic race was going to get ugly, a.k.a interesting. Maybe it still will.

Has anyone heard from Mike Gravel? As far as I know, he hasn't announced that he's quitting his campaign, but he gets even less media coverage than poor Dennis (who's got a really hot wife!).

Republicans
Things remain wide open and in disarray for the Republicans, a.k.a. the Pubes.

Mitt Romney finally got himself a first-place finish in Michigan (oh, and Wyoming, but apparently no one cares about Dick Cheney's home state). I was really hoping that he'd finish second in every single state, because it would be funny and no less than he deserves as an asshole. Ah well.

Huckabee can't seem to give the reach-around to anyone but the evangelicals, and John McCain is once again being considered a serious contender, even though his candidacy was being called dead (the media is always right) a few months ago.

What about Fred Thompson, you ask? No, you're not asking, and neither is anyone else. He's putting a lot of eggs into the South Carolina basket and is hoping for a "strong finish" there. Is third a strong finish? At what point will he realize that no one thinks he's Reagan?

And then, of course, there's Rudolph Giuliani. Remember him? Once considered the national front-runner, he's yet to finish better than fourth anywhere, although he's been beating the shit out of Ron Paul (by one or two percentage points). Yeah, it's funny, but Rudy may yet get the last laugh. He's spending all his time in Florida, with all the New York retirees, while everyone else dukes it out in South Carolina, etc. If he actually pulls off a win in Florida, get this: Giuliani will officially be the front-runner in the number of delegates. He hopes that Super Tuesday (February 5th) gives him real momentum as well. And with California and New York Pubes voting on the more moderate side of things, they could well vault Rudy back to the front. Yes, B&E readers, this prospect frightens me terrifically. I'm putting my hopes in Florida voters seeing through the man. What, me worry? When have the Florida voters let me down in the past?

And that's What Stood Out This Week, dear B&E readers.