Hillary & McCain take NH, and it's good

As Ed Morrissey says here:

No one can pretend that this wasn’t a huge victory for Hillary Clinton. All of the pollsters had her tanking in the days between Iowa and tonight, and I mean all of them. She not only got to be an underdog, she got to write a comeback script for a media that loves them. CNN’s pundits scratched their heads all night long, expecting that narrow gap to disappear, and it never happened.

My only concern with the results – with any of the results coming out of NH – is that as an “open vote” state it’s hard to know how many of the votes came from non-residents, who was voting or from where. It seems to me that such a circumstance makes fraud so easy, you’d think political parties would want to change that, but (shrug).

I was out tonight and have not had a chance to see any of the speechs or read a lot, but my first thought – upon hearing that the races had been called for Clinton and McCain was positive – I find the results rather encouraging. I was getting a little creeped out thinking that an untested but charismatic guy could so overwhelm the process so quickly in such a dangerous age.

So, in a way, it seems right to me. This thing is anyone’s to lose. I would be quite happy to see us head into one – or two – brokered conventions this year, and it wouldn’t surprise me if we do.

Nothing is going to surprise me this election season. Now that NH is over, it looks like Rudy – at the eleventh hour – is finally going to engage. He’s got a piece in the Wednesday WSJ where he basically lays out his whole platform. Better jump in, Rudy, or you’re going to miss the party!

But tonight, as I say Compline, I will be offering it for the safety of President Bush, who is traveling in the most dangerous of places. The WSJ had a good piece today about Bush’s undeniable, and positive, impact on the Middle East.

More on the primary:

Dan Riehl says no one should be surprised, that the polling facts were there and were ignored by just about everyone.

Amba tells what is bothering her and what is not:

John McCain reading his victory speech, eyes down on the page.
[…]
Obama whipping up the cadences of Hope and Change without content, a froth of cappucino without caffeine…
[…]
Since Hillary got a little emotional, she’s shed a layer of armor. She says she “found her own voice,” and she sounds warmer and less formal and guarded. There’s something distinctly more appealing about her. Some may claim it is coached and calculated; this time I don’t think so. That she had a moment of real emotion and immediately capitalized on it — that I totally believe. But that’s political talent.

Hmmmm…I read that and you know what immediately pops into my head? That God is not “done” with any of us, yet. Maybe Hillary is going to be the next president, but maybe a rock-em-sock-em road to the WH is necessary for her to break out of her manufactured, overcareful mold. Even the velveteen rabbit became real eventually. She’s got to want to, though. I think that’s how it works.

Best comment so far:

the Democratic primary is turning into a battle between the people that pay for Social Security and those that collect it.

Other Best Line from Vodkapundit:

And Hillary is ahead of Obama? By four points? I’m telling you, you’ve got to run a stake through the heart, separate the head from the body, burn the remains and scatter the ashes in heavy winds if you want to put a Clinton down for good.

C’mon, now, this is fun, ain’t it?

Sister Toldjah wonders if Gloria Steinem, who was feeling pricklish, is happier now. Her post illustrates just how stymied the “experts” are and how unpredictable the races have become.

Beth says, “the pundits are all on crack!

Big Lizard: Barack, Check your brakes!

Gay Patriot has an interesting excerpt from the left.

More thoughts on the election, in general, from James Lileks via Dr. Melissa.

Betsy Newmark quotes Terry McAuliffe who credits Hillary’s crying for the win. Egad. Betsy:

Oh, barf. Assuming that the tears were genuine, they were more a result of fatigue and stress and depression of thinking that her lifetime dream was slipping away. Does this mean that we’ll start seeing more tears every time the polls show her slipping?

If Gina Cobb’s readers had their way, Fred Thompson would be da man!

Jim Geraghty wraps it up. And Michelle Malkin has the exit poll and count summaries.

Some good reflections on tonight:
Ann Althouse having fun
Jay Cost crunching numbers
Jon Podhoretz sounding a warning to the GOP
Bizzy Blog