From early this morning, the network and cable news shows have
blanketed the country and the airwaves with coverage of every
imaginable sort surrounding today’s historic election. The air is
charged, and it literally feels not only like Election Day itself (as
if it all came down to today), but an altogether new and energized one
from recent history.

Finally, it’s Super Tuesday, and the prevailing question is posed by our friends the Brits, over at the Economist: Super for whom?

NOTHING like it has been seen before in American
electoral history. In 22 states across America, Hillary Clinton and
Barack Obama will duke it out on Tuesday February 5th on what has
variously been called Super Tuesday, Super-Duper Tuesday and Tsunami
Tuesday. By the end of the day, more than half the delegates to
August’s party convention in Denver will have been awarded. The day
carries around twice the weight of past Super Tuesdays, as well as
coming far earlier in the nomination cycle. What is still unclear,
however, is what will constitute victory, and what defeat.

They have been elastic definitions in all the primaries until now,
with a good showing constituting a victory for some, and a finish in
third place but ahead of the guy in fourth a victory for others, and on
and on.

Today is different. It may not decide the Democratic nominee, and
probably won’t. It will be a good showing for Sen. Obama, and Sen.
Clinton is no doubt worrying a lot. Sen. McCain may be the runaway
candidate by day’s end, but third place candidate Gov. Huckabee was
just reported to have said he’s in it for the duration, or at least
until they toss him out.

One thing can be predicted with some accuracty now:

With a large number of postal votes that won’t be
counted for many days, the results may not be known this week. Probably
the most likely eventual outcome is an unclear result followed by a war
of words, and a continuing cliff-hanger. That’s good news for political
junkies at least.