287. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Convention

Yesterday was supposed to be the day a member of United States Senate pulled far enough away from his closest competitor to declare the Primary race over. Well, it did happen, but not to Barack Obama. It happened to John McCain, who with his wins last night in all four contests (Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont) secured the necessary pledged delegates to win the Republican Party's nomination for the office of President of the United States.

Across the aisle, where Sunlight apparently breeds division, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton remain about as far apart after the four contests as they were before, which is to say not very far, and certainly not far enough for either of them to declare a victory. Neither of them can mathematically win enough delegates between now and the convention to do that.


So, what does that mean here along the Left Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606? Most likely that our May 20th Primary, considered late in the season, is suddenly a possible stop for both Obama and Clinton on their way to Denver. Both of them have been here before and I was honored on those occasions to have met them (and I want to insert here my thanks to Jerry Lundergan, John Yarmuth, and Jon Hurst for making those things happen. The three of them are also collectively responsible for my close-up meeting with former President William Jefferson Clinton during his visit in Louisville).

Imagine what it will be like come the First Saturday in May, a special day in Kentucky. It will be the Saturday before the Indiana primary, immediately across the river and fifteen days before Kentucky's. It is possible we'll see Obama and Clinton here in town for the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby. It's going to be an interesting next eight to ten weeks. Stay tuned.