But the cross-overs did a lot to keep her nomination hopes alive. If she comes back to win the nomination and does win in November, Republicans and conservatives will likely look back on March 4, 2008 as a day that will live in infamy.

What the GOP cross-overs did is extend Mrs. Clinton’s margin in OH, and give that win stronger stature than it really deserves. If, as is being estimated, 100,000 GOPers really did cross over to vote for her in Ohio (with very few doing so for Obama), she owes at least 40% of her 227,000-vote victory margin to them. So she “should” have won by an expectations-matching 6% instead of an expectations-whipping 10%-plus. She would still be viable today anyway, but much less impressively.

It could be that crossovers in TX, where her victory margin was less than 100,000 votes in a much larger electorate, changed the outcome in her favor. How much cackling would she be doing today if she had split the two big states instead of winning them both?

My point is that too-clever GOPers played with fire when they crossed over. Dems have taken similar dumb risks in other circumstances. It’s too easy to get burned and for unintended consequences to occur, and I don’t think it’s a good idea for either side to engage in it. I have a difficult time countering the argument that it’s morally very questionable to vote for someone in a primary you have no intention of voting for in the general. Tired Spiderman reference: The great power of the vote comes with great responsibility.

I’m very surprised at how Obama has crumbled in the past two weeks. A lot of it is self-inflicted, and I see it continuing. Indications are that Obama is becoming the less-viable candidate on his own after having nearly secured the nomination. If true, his getting the nomination is the ideal GOP scenario.

Hillary, it turns out, didn’t need the “help.” Without the “help,” she would have had an OK night last night. With the “help,” she had a great night, made a full comeback towards winning the nomination plausible, and as I said, made the IMO Clinton-Obama nightmare ticket more likely.

With “friends” like the GOP crossovers, who needs enemies?

As far as I am concerned, things are on track for an angry Dem Convention and resulting split in the Party. With the likes of Ted Kennedy fantasizing over Camelot, the slap of reality is simply too much for them to handle. I predict a replay of Ted’s failed attempt at the Dem nomination vicariously using Obama as the surrogate. Clinton will get the nomination, she has planned laid the ground work too thoroughly to fail now.

As for McCain getting enough delegates to clinch the nomination, well, let’s just say that if he doesn’t change his tune toward the Conservatives, the race between Clinton and McCain will be decided by the one who has offended the least number of people. The Clinton campaign slogan will essentially be vote for me, I’m not a male or Republican. The McCain campaign slogan will be vote for me, I’m not a Clinton or a Democrat.

#3, exactly. That’s why I personally avoided crossing over, and implied that others shouldn’t. I don’t think it’s EVER a good idea to cast a vote for someone you really don’t want to be president.

Miller, Matt (R) 47.18% 6,862
Schuring, Kirk (R) 47.11% 6,852
Schiffer, Paul (R) 5.71% 830

10 friggin’ votes!