The Clinton/Obama/Edwards race hasn't begun in a real sense. All are principally doing preparations now. John's big challenge is to raise enough money to stay in the top tier but if he does, this three-way race begins in earnest after Labor Day, and probably more seriously after Thanksgiving. It is true that the long time between today and then must be used wisely by each campaign, but the pay-off cannot be seen until late this year.

Mitt Romney is showing that money talks and big money screams. He's in the top tier through February 5, for sure, no matter what he says or does. He's a smart person and his early spending to drive up his poll numbers is a good idea for him.

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See Eric Boehlert here for an important dissection of the media's successful efforts to prove they are in fact leading an assault against reason.

Victory by victory, the Internet establishes itself as the people's medium, a forum for assembling a critical mass of opinion and a lethal weapon against rule by elites.

With apologies to Senator Kennedy, who has long been a heroic leader on many issues, including education and immigration in particular, I think it is all to the good that the so-called grand bargain on immigration has collapsed. The reason is that nothing this important ought to be done so much in relative secrecy. The President hasn't discussed the topic much, if at all, with the American people; the media havn't reported it in an ample and truthful way; and the various compromises of the bill were hardly clear to any but the bargainers.

For an issue as important as the future demographic make-up of the United States, openness is essential, and no law should be enacted without that openness.

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