So let me get this straight...

[Edwards4President]

Tim Russert is on MSNBC saying that "unless Edwards starts winning some primaries soon, this will be a two man race between Kerry and Dean" and, thus he will need to reassess his candidacy.

Isn't that begging the question? It seems the same thing could be said about the other candidates: "Unless Dean starts winning some primaries soon, this will be a two man race between Kerry and Edwards," or "unless John Kerry wins more primaries, this will be a two man race between Dean and Edwards." Unless is a rather big qualifier.

OK, maybe I'm slow but can someone explain to me how a candidate who comes in second in one primary and third in another, neither of which are in his strongest regions means that he is in trouble while another candidate who comes in third in one primary and second in another, one of which is in his own backyard, is assumed to be part of a two-man race?

[robsul82]

1. Money.

Didn't you ever see Vanilla Sky?

"What's the answer to 99 of 100 questions? Money."

Later.

RJS

[PVnRT]

2. The media hates long primaries

It steals the thunder from them. It's better for their ratings and "credibility" if they subvert democracy instead.

[bobbyboucher]

3. Don't fret, there's a long way to go.

The Whores just want to be able to concentrate their whoring.

[feckerman]

4. Hey - they all talk out of their ass :)

This is atleast a 3.5 person race, and will be that way through mid February I'd guess.

Edwards is still very much in there, but has a lot to prove w/ his friend Dean. Good luck.

[LiberalBushFan]

5. at least he's mentioned

Whereas he's acting as though Clark doesn't exist, even though he beat Edwards.

[union_maid]

6. Bob Woodward said the same about Clark

Seems to me, until the south and west is heard from it would be pretty nuts for either Edwards or Clark to reassess anything. That's where they're going to find out how they stand.

[Edwards4President]

8. I'm curious

Have there been NH primaries in the past with two or three New Englanders in the race?

I can't remember any, but perhaps there were. It seems that Clark and Edwards polling 25% between them is pretty good, regardless which order they come out in, given that they were running against three "favorite sons."

[teevee99]

7. he hasn't gotten to 3rd in nh yet

4th, if you trust my math.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

9. You're right

nobody is going to win the nomination without winning primaries. Not Dean, not Edwards, not Clark.

[populistmom]

10. GE butters his bread

Edwards (trial attorney)= hold corporations responsible. GE doesn't like Edwards.

[Edwards4President]

13. Just thought it strange, especially since Edwards always said

he wasn't expecting to do well in either Iowa or New Hampshire, but was focusing on winning SC. The pundits are now acting as if he has crashed or something because he didn't kick the asses of two favorite sons and a candidate who has spent much more time in the state than he has.

I guess it's typical, but no less annoying.

[pacifictiger]

11. I think they really

want to winnow the field soon so they dont have so much bush bashing going on. The smaller the field, the more time they can give to the shrub.

[spooky3]

16. You have two choices.

Either Russert is doing what pacifictiger suggests or

he is so stupid that he hasn't figured out that we've had only 2 primaries.

I know which one I would pick.

Certainly if Kerry does as well as the polls are predicting for him on Feb. 3, it's going to be hard for any of the other guys to beat him. But given the volatility we've seen over the past 2 weeks, it's a little hard to say.

and I agree with everyone else's points about how strange it is that TR is picking some candidates and not others about whom to make comments.

[bleedingheart]

12. The south gave us Right To Work, Walmart and the Bible Belt

and somehow they are better able to pick our presidents???

[Edwards4President]

15. The South also gave us Bill Clinton, the Civil Rights Movement & Sweet Tea

that's good enough for me.

Seriously, who is suggesting that they are better able to pick our presidents?

[overground1]

14. Hamm

[frustrated_lefty]

17. It can be played he did

really poorly in New Hampshire.

Bottom line, he has to do really well in S. Carolina.

[spooky3]

18. yes, but if you agree with that, you'd have to agree Clark

did really poorly too. He was focused on campaigning there while Edwards was busy in Iowa, he has no other strong showing yet, and he is beating Edwards by only one percentage point of the total vote tonight.

I don't agree that Clark is out of it, so I don't agree with the spin, and I think the Feb. 3 states are as important for Clark (and Dean, and everyone else), or more so, as they are for Edwards.