DEBATE REVIEW & PREVIEW

La Clinton win it easy -- on cheer, turn of phrase, preparedness, and slightly less than her usual quota of bullshit. Wolf Blitzer didn't buy it, but her answer about "don't ask, don't tell" was not her usual horse-puckey. It was bad policy but necessary transitional one.

Edwards, Kucinich and Dodd were OK. Biden was insane, Obama scared to death, and Gravel was lost in the tall weeds.

About to watch the Clinton/Edwards/Obama "Faith and Politics" discussion. Back in a while.

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Jesus Christ, Kelso missed it! Got busy taking care of some work and forgot time zones. Saw the Paula Zahn recap and from all indications, it didn't go according to script(ure) at all. Obama grabbed the left -- shit, he needed to -- going for "faith" as his basis for a belief in peace and social justice, which would be what, exactly? Clinton and Edwards apparently both used a nice light touch, Clinton saying she often prayed for silly things like "to lose weight" and Edwards almost bragging about "sinning every day." From the accounts, it seemed like something of a draw. Obama's dying on the vine because he's lost most of his left-wing support, so he went against form and rope-a-doped instead of pounding away on his Evangelical bona fides, without subsequent comment. Edwards and Clinton knew they couldn't nail their colors to the Evangelical mast, and didn't, lest they risk giving Obama an early Christmas present.

As for the Republicans, Big-Strong Candy Crowley actually made a very good point last night. She said that, though the Lisping Fascist, leads the polls, his support is wafer-thin and there's an opportunity for any Democrat to "Swift-Boat" him, attacking him FOR 9/11 and the Lord knows there's a host of material out there with which to do so. Clinton doesn't even need to create an ersatz grass-roots group. The NY Firefighters' Union is ready, willing and able. Mr. New York Yankeeth ith going to make a big mithtake and go after Ron Paul again and will find dat it won't play twyth. It says here that Romney is the best candidate they have, although either of Brownback or Huckabee could do something if they could raise a dime. Fred Dalton Thompson won't be there, but he could win the next one on charm. The TV actor thing, though, is overcooked and there's no shortage of evidence of his corruption and legislative uselessness.

Kelso wrote it on another blog but if he were Ron Paul, Kelso would have been on the phone to Cindy Sheehan last week to invite her into his campaign as a liason to everybody else. He doesn't need her help on economic justice -- they are on opposite poles there -- but they make a natural fit in their fight against wars abroad and incipient National Socialism at home. After winning the Fox poll following the last Republican debate, Paul does have a puncher's chance at the nomination. The enormous publicity of bringing in Sheehan might bring in the money he needs to take a significant run at it. Take this a view from an atheist, but it really seems like Kucinich, Brownback, Huckabee and Paul are the only candidates who actually believe in God -- as in an invisible man in the sky who decides everything. We think Romney's very much down with Joseph Smith in a sincere way, as well. Kucinich and Paul, however, seem the least likely to impose their beliefs, faith, 3-card monte, whatever, upon the rest of us.

From the What-It's-Like-To-Be-Me Dept Volume II: This business with the floorman, El Marica -- no offense to gay men -- is becoming an ever-deepening problem. A $25 chip tip to him and a promise of a fresh start failed to accomplish anything. When Birmingham (UK) Numero Uno El Ciprioto asked Kelso for a couple of VIP passes to an upcoming trance show, Kelso said "no problem." El Marica --again, in unctuous English --"what about me?" And Kelso's response was ironic but not wholly unkind: (in Spanish, "you have the wrong Mr. Kelso. My father's the Marxist, not me. Take up problems of poverty with him."). So, a conclave of the younger players in the 25-50 No Limit was called to deal with this. Birmingham (UK) Numero Dos Sonny El Moreno, Pierre El Arabe Maronito, Eddie El Arabe Islamista, Chambito Isaac El Judio and Kelso all agreed that El Marica's behavior was unacceptable and something had to be done. Three split for Vegas for WSOP. And the only possible conclusion fell from the sky -- or at least from a woman who plays there regularly -- the floorman is acting this way because he's turned on by all of us and all of the testosterone. So, no amount of tipping's going to solve the problem and no one's in a big hurry to indulge him, so another strike may be necessary. As the Sala Privada De Poker turns!

From the Hardest-Way-To-Make-An-Easy-Living-Dept...right now at prevailing prices, some kind of correlation-and-probability adjusted portfolio of Clinton parlay or reverse of Dem Nom to outright, Romney for Republican Nomination, and small saver on Gore outright seems like the way to go. So, too, does minimum play on Robredo at 13/1 against Federer, but we've been bleeding in this one, so tread lightly. In the futures market, long Romney, Brownback, Huckabee and Paul all seem to have value for RepNom, with the idea of selling on first double with latter three and holding Romney to expiration.

Oh, Jeezie-Peezie, one more comment with regard to Kelso's heuristic device about America's flaws and its love of police shows. Cheer all you want when the Po-lice verbally abuse some poor soul in the TV show about the perils of "lawyering up." But take some advice from your Uncle: Always "Lawyer Up."

Kelso's Nuts love you.