It’s All Over Now Baby Blue

Well, the primary season is finally over, and while it overstayed its welcome, at least the system worked. I just returned from voting in the “proper” California primary (like everyone else, we bumped up the presidential primary to be more “important”), but while I was there to vote against some sort of proposition that would limit rent control or something, the good voters of Montana and South Dakota were casting their votes for the presidential candidate of their choice. They, of course, are the final two states to so. And now, finally, it appears the Barack Obama has secured the Democratic presidential nomination. Hilary Clinton is supposed to give a speech tonight In New York, not to actually concede, but just to acknowledge that Obama has enough delegates to earn the nomination. That’s awfully big of her.

While we all know that the writing has been on the wall for at least a month or so, now with all 50 states and miscellaneous territories voting, there’s no way to explain away Barack’s victory. Some months ago, I wrote here that I was annoyed that states as inconsequential as Iowa and New Hampshire had a disproportionate amount of pull when it came to deciding who would run for president in November. Well, my wish came true. Every single state, including the one’s who’s delegates only sorta get counted, had some sort of impact in deciding who got the Democratic nomination. Even Puerto Rico, normally an afterthought, had an impact was it’s fairly anemic turnout. So never let it be said the Barack wasn’t the people’s choice.

Admittedly, the process wasn’t always pretty. There was a lot of dirt, false accusations, and other general bullshit thrown around (mostly by the Senator of NY and her supporters), and I wish people who should know better conduct themselves with a little more dignity and class, but Obama has emerged form the whole process pretty intact. Likely nothing came out during the primary process that wouldn’t have come out anyway, and the same stupid rumors linger, but I imagine he’ll get as fair a shake as African-American man with the name of Obama can expect to get to in this country. Now comes the tough part.