Grab a glass of your favorite wine and start linking — these are all great reading!

My Dad sent me this one. Very interesting (and biting) commentary by Greg Palast, linking (no pun intended)this week’s bailout of predator banks with the recent outing of Eliot Spitzer as consumer of high-end (or, at least, high-priced, prostitutes). Thanks for the link, you crazy old liberal!

I ran across this one on Wonkette last night. Turns out, Jeremiah Wright, recently reviled former Obama pastor, was a guest in the Clinton White House. Yes, that’s Bill Clinton, husband of Hillary. Stay tuned for Hillary’s Speech on Race. . .

And today the cunning Obama has mind-melded members of the Fox News Team. Talk about the candidate of hope and change! Who would have thought that Obama would be able to sow the seeds of rebellion within Fox News, that bastion of knee-jerk conservatism. Check out The Huffington Post and (the always hilarious) Wonkette for their take on Fox anchors Chris Wallace and Brian Kilmeade speaking out against their own network’s/colleagues’ vendetta against Obama.

Also today, featured on Anderson Cooper’s 360 blog: CNN contributor Roland Martin is actually taking the time to listen to Jeremiah Wright’s speeches, and is helpfully providing some context for and commentary on the speeches that contain the clips that have been played repeatedly in an attempt to portray Wright and, by extension, Obama, as un-American and untrustworthy. Today, he discussed the Reverend Wright’s 9/11 sermon and the “God Damn America” sermon.

And on Politico: here’s a reality check for everyone who still thinks (hopes) the Democratic nomination is still in play. Despite all evidence and expert opinion to the contrary, the Clinton campaign continues to behave as if their girl can WIN the nomination. Not quite — it will take an act of superdelegate subversion of the citizens’ will in order for her to be the Democratic nominee.

Happy Friday!

8:00PM I’m doing my post-workout stretches and watching the primary returns. Obama’s got Vermont and winning in Texas; Clinton’s leading in Ohio.

8:32PM I’m just out of the shower and back in front of the tv. Primary off and basketball on. Ohio State and #15 Purdue in OT. Ohio State up 74-72 with 58 seconds to go. At 28 seconds, Ohio St. scores a deuce and goes up 76-72. Ten seconds later, Purdue hits the trey ball and it’s a one-point game 76-75. Ohio State ball, Purdue fouls, and two free throws put Ohio State up 78-75. Purdue can’t convert the three on the other end, and Ohio State rebounds. Another foul = two more free throws to put Ohio State up 80-75.

Snacky’s in my ear yelling at the tv “Storm the court, you better storm the court.” One more deuce for Purdue, but Ohio wins 80-77. It’s an upset and a big win for a rebuilding Ohio State program. No court storming, though.

8:38PM Back to the primaries. Clinton’s got Rhode Island and still ahead in Ohio. Obama’s still ahead in Texas, but not by as much. Ohio and Texas will be close.

Now the CNN talking heads are talking about the importance of the “white male vote.” The white boys in Ohio are swinging for Hillary tonight.

Wolf Blitzer just announced the “breaking news” that McCain won the GOP nomination as the Texas delegates pushed his count over the top. Didn’t see that one coming. Not at all. And guess who’s gonna endorse McCain? President Bush. Just one exciting moment after another for the Republicans tonight.

8:50PM Time for McCain to start his “victory” speech. Yawn. Back to basketball.

8:51PM The KState Beasleys are playing Colorado in Bramlage on their Senior Night. Does KState they have seniors? Who are they? Who cares! The first half is almost over and Mike B. already has 20 points and 7 rebounds.

8:55PM OK I guess they do have seniors. We just got a replay of Clent Stewart proposing to his girlfriend, now fiancee, during the pre-game senior night festivities. I stand corrected.

Ever since Ian Johnson proposed to his girl after Boise State popped Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, I’ve been a sappy sucker for love theatrics. Go Clent!

Flash back to Texas Tech’s nightmare last night in Allen Fieldhouse last night against the Jayhawks. Now THAT was a senior night. The ‘Hawks sent their five seniors out with a bang.

8:59PM For some reason we’re back to McCain and actually listening. Or trying to listen– I feel like I’m being hypnotized. I have a sneaking suspicion that McCain operatives are planted in the audience to start up one of those lethargic cheers when McCain pauses, goes silent and looks expectantly at his audience, with his wife, Patriot Barbie, standing ever smilingly at his side

9:05PM Are they really playing Johnny B. Goode as McCain walks off stage? Which Wolf just referred to as “Go Johnny Go.” And I know he’s old enough to know better.

9:06PM Back to “the best political team on television.” Texas is getting closer with Obama carrying 50% and Clinton carrying 48% of the primary vote so far. Now the caucuses have begun and people are reportedly coming out in record numbers — so many that there aren’t enough ballots for all of them. Now there’s a way to piss off the voters.

Even with a win in Texas, Clinton can’t win the delegate numbers — And if Clinton doesn’t flat-out win in Texas, CNN talking head Bernstein is saying Clinton will have to go so negative on Obama that the superdelegates will reject him. Make something nasty stick.

9:21PM Back to the KState game. KState was up by 17 at one time. Not so now. A 3-ball by Roby just put Colorado within 3 points. Beasley hits a jumper on the other end and the lead is five now, 47-42. There’s no kryptonite for that superman. But there’s plenty of kryptonite to go around for the rest of the Wildkitties. Witness last Saturday in Allen Fieldhouse, where the Jayhawks got their inevitable revenge even as Beasley scored 39 points. Kstate and Colorado could go down to wire like Obama and Clinton in the red dirt of Texas.

9:28PM Back to the CNN commentary. Ohio is tighter, and still waiting for Cleveland, Toledo and Columbus to come in. Urban areas = black voters = Obama votes. Power to the people. Texas is neck and neck, with 49% of the vote for both now. This is gonna be a long night, or, as Wolf just informed us twice, a “nail-biter.”

I’m trying to generate a little family discussion about the primaries, but all I’m getting out of Quent is local high school social commentary along the lines of “I can’t believe that fool got in the Kappa party.” While she stretches on the floor in front of the fireplace.

Ant is practicing his handles in the kitchen, so I’m typing away to the beat of a basketball on stone tiles.

“Hey, Ant, you know Obama likes to ball, right?”

Dribble, dribble, dribble. “Cool. And he’s gonna be the first black president.”

I try ask Quent what she thinks. “Lemme stretch, Bro.” Bro? “I’m tryna get my body hard, that’s what I’m tryin to do.” Okey dokey.

Dribble, dribble, dribble. I haven’t heard anything on tv for the last ten minutes.

Snacky’s disappeared into his lair upstairs.

So much for generating political discussion.

9:50PM Back to the KState/Colorado game. KState up by 13 (69-56)with under 3 minutes to go. OK, so more like McCain and Huckabee in Texas than Obama and Clinton. I’ll project a winner here: KState.

Or not? All of a sudden it’s 69-63, with Colorado creeping up. KState hasn’t scored in the last two minutes. Until I wrote those words — Beasley just hit two free throws to put Kstate up 71-63. CU’s Roby answers quickly on the other end, with a jumper and the game’s back within 6 points. 71-65. It’s under a minute and Colorado’s gonna foul. Not really wanting to watch the final seconds, but here’s the final score: Kstate 78-Colorado 72. The first win for the Wildkitties in five games. Meow.

10:31PM Clinton wins Ohio.. The Clinton camp is presenting this win as a BIG one for her. She’s leading slightly in the Texas primary. No news on the Texas caucuses yet. I might have to cash it in before all is said and done in the lone star state. Reasons for the Clinton camp to be nervous in Texas (other than the fact that even winning it won’t give her a lead over Obama)? Dallas County, Tarrant County (Ft. Worth), Harris County (Houston) — all with only a small percentage of returns in AND all heavily favoring Obama. No love for Hil in the Hoods.

10:38PM Obama and Michelle O. coming out on stage and Obama speaking in San Antonio.

10:40PM Snacky reappears, does some pushups and asks who’s winning the Democratic primaries.

10:44PM Ant’s listening to Obama and playing his PSP. “Listen to him. He’s a beast. Barack is a beast.” “He is just straight-up mic’in.”

When Obama said “we need to put a book in our kids’ hands instead of a video game,” Ant says “He sounds like you, Dad,” as he clicks away on his PSP.

10:53PM Obama says “God bless America” and Ant says “I say, Yes we can.”

10:55PM I’m thinking it’s time for the kids to go to bed.

Updates tomorrow.

Only the most reality-challenged, die-hard of his supporters are still able to get on board with Nader’s assertions that there is essentially no difference between the Democratic and Republican candidates. This is a puzzling position he staked out long ago in order to differentiate himself as a candidate, particularly from the Democrats. However, after Nader effectively cost Al Gore the presidential election in 2000, he has been compelled to maintain this ludicrous stance in order to insulate himself from the widely-held belief that his candidacy allowed Bush to sneak into the White House through Florida’s back door. But I say let’s give credit where credit is due and attach some of the glory of the Bush/Cheney regime and all that’s followed to Ralph Nader. This is truly an infamous political achievement, and one that may well overshadow the potential legacy of his work as a consumer advocate.

Even if Mr. Nader has chosen not to accept the reality of his role as spoiler to the Democrats in the 2000 election, American voters (wisely) weren’t nearly as quick to trust him with their votes in 2004. While Nader got 2,882,955 votes (2.74%) in 2000, he only got 465,650 votes (.38%) in 2004. I imagine his effect on this year’s election will be equally negligible. Yet, he’s back once more, like the uninvited guest who barges into the party, drinks the beer he didn’t pay for, and hits on chicks who are already sitting in other guys’ laps.

What Nader offers an annoyed political public in 2008 is the minor spectacle of an egomaniac who seems increasingly unable to come to terms with his own political irrelevance. With his latest presidential bid, he’s created a just momentary buzz in this political season. But, even as I write this, we’re all already on our way back to the real show as Barack Obama rolls ever closer to the Democratic nomination and his showdown with John McCain in November.

I revised my opinion yesterday.

Michelle Obama was blasted from all sides after telling supporters at a Milwaukee rally that “Hope is making a comeback, and, let me tell you, for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country. Not just because Barack is doing well, but I think people are hungry for change.”

I can get on board with that statement. Michelle Obama and I are the same age (roughly), and I can say that her words captured the way I’ve been feeling as the Obama movement catches the country by storm.

Think about it. For people of my age, our adult lives have so far been politically defined by the administrations of Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton and Bush Jr. First we suffer through the Reagan/Bush Sr. regimes — everyone remember “trickle-down” economics and the Iran-Contra scandal? I don’t want to go too far down that particular memory lane, so I’ll leave it at that

Then, while Clinton was in office, truly working toward prosperity and political sanity, things got really creepy. In fact, the continuing and relentless efforts of the conservative right to derail the Clinton administration, from day one, proved a harbinger for the current and utterly embarrassing political disaster, otherwise known as the Bush/Cheney regime, that we’ve had to watch unfold over the last eight years. After George Bush Jr. was handed an election he didn’t win by a not-very-neutral Supreme Court, he went primetime with an agenda that the majority of the country didn’t want. AND THEN, he had the gall to take our country to war under false pretenses.

So, yeah, some of us have been feeling a little UN-proud of our country in recent years. A little alienated from the interests of the powers that be. A little like the political process had been hijacked.

So I won’t fault a grown woman for speaking THIS truth: Barack Obama is making me, and millions of others, want to believe that we can make something different happen through the very political process we’ve come to view in recent years with a certain, shall we say, cynicism? We’ve got a charismatic, intelligent and politically savvy black man who’s pulling people together in a way no one has seen in a long time. He’s a rock star. And anyone who says this isn’t a defining moment needs a quick and dirty primer on American History.

And it just so happens that Michelle O. is married to the man who’s derailed the conventional wisdom in this primary season. I guess she just can’t help but notice. . .

On the other hand. . .I’m not sure who was behind this smug little rebuttal by Cindy McCain: “I am proud of my country. I don’t know about you? If you heard those words earlier, I am very proud of my country.”

And, later, when McCain was asked about whether his wife’s statement was a response to what Michelle O. had said, he deferred to his wife. Who said: “I just wanted to make the statement that I have and always will be proud of my country.”

And she stood there looking like every bit like Barbie after Ken told her she looked fat in her dress.

I lost a good deal of respect for Lady McCain in those moments. Underlying her politically righteous statements was the same old message that Bush, Cheney & Co. have been assaulting the American people with ever since the first THINKING person questioned the Iraq war: only TRAITORS doubt the good ol’ US of A.

So our girl Cindy stood up and gave notice: she’s faithful and loyal; she’s in it for better or for worse; she will not defame our great nation.

Good for you, Cindy.

But I’ve got Michelle’s back. Because she spoke my truth. And true patriots aren’t afraid to challenge conventional authority. Just ask John Hancock and George Washington, Susan B. Anthonhy and Martin Luther King, Jr.

This mama’s for Obama.

Yep. Obama’s got people excited, and that includes me. It’ll be a long haul dragging this country back from the precipice of disaster that the Bush administration currently has us dangling over, but Obama is fresh, new and brilliant. I’ll take my chances.

And on top of it all, my emotions run high when I think about the very real possibility that my biracial kids will see the first black United States president elected as they are just beginning to enter adulthood.

In fact, one of them will lose her political virginity this year.  My daughter Quent will be old enough to vote this year, so part of her birthday festivities will be hightailing it to the DMV to register to vote, bringing our family contribution of votes for the Democratic nominee (Obama?!?!) to three.