The Dish

The continuous lies of the former president on gay rights.

Mark Steyn:

McCain’s is a genuine national candidacy. Rudy’s campaign announced itself as one, but, as I said a while back, it quickly turned into a 1-800 candidacy, rooted in no real area code, with no real physical presence, as if he’d outsourced the thing to a call center in Bombay.

A scientology glossary.

I’m really chuffed about McCain. But his squeaker in South Carolina makes it both more likely that he will be the nominee and less likely that he will unite the GOP enthusiastically behind him. He may have to put Huckabee on the ticket at this rate, which will make him uncomfortable and the economic right apoplectic. A very narrow and divisive McCain victory wouldn’t be as bad for the GOP as a narrow and divisive Romney victory, but it’s not great news either.

Similarly, the longer the Democratic race goes on, the likelier it appears that Clinton could well win the nomination in a way almost designed to maximally divide and demoralize her own party – and raise her own national negatives to stratospheric levels. It would mean a Clinton candidacy in the fall that had actively alienated independents and repelled Republicans, while undermining a key source of Democratic support – African-Americans.

If both parties commit slow suicide, does either win in the end?

(Photo: Stephen Morton/Getty.)

They’re not happy, if Levin is any indicator:

The problem for McCain is his record (which some of his supporters want us to downplay, or to limit to certain issues most important to them, or claim what matters is that he can beat the Democrat, or whatever). That’s not going to work right now. Even if this website were to close down tonight and never reappear, McCain’s positions on some major issues simply won’t go down with a lot of conservatives.

Crowley:

I see a disaster averted for Hillary–but with Obama alive and well. In the unlikely event of a Hillary victory in South Carolina, Obama could face a crisis of his own. More likely, we are headed to February 5 and quite possibly beyond in what looks like a long war of attrition.

I’m not sure what to make of Nevada as such. It was another close race, with delegates closely divvied up. Clinton won in a campaign run by the son of Nevada’s Senator and Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid. Big whup. But it’s a win nonetheless, and momentum matters, and Obama failed to bring enough new voters to the polls to overcome Clinton’s base support. I don’t think it means that much unless it’s a sign that Latino voters won’t back a black candidate. If that’s true, several states that Obama might have won will go to Clinton. Meanwhile, we have a red-faced former president to look forward to:

Mark on your calendar Jan. 25 for an outburst by Bill Clinton somewhere in South Carolina. He has launched a tirade the day before each of his wife’s victories in Nevada and New Hampshire, claiming the process was unfairly stacked against her. If this keeps up, he’s going to require a stretcher by the last primary in Oregon come May.

33 – 30 as of this hour … and Fred prepares to quit? Ambers gives seven reasons for a McCain revival, including exquisite timing:

(6) Romney’s decision to pull out at the last minute…Giuliani’s decision to pull out earlier…

This makes it close to impossible for Rudy to pull this one out. Ron Paul beat him again! But Huckabee’s strong showing means he’s not out of it yet. If Fred leaves, Huckabee could even gain some Southern steam. It’s a Huckabee-McCain-Romney race now.

Heh:

As Clinton Communications Director Howard Wolfson said, "This is a race for delegates…It is not a battle for individual states. As David knows, we are well past the time when any state will have a disproportionate influence on the nominating process."

They’re showing a close race between McCain and Huckabee. Some interesting data here:

Evangelicals – Mike Huckabee 41%, John McCain 27%, Fred Thompson 14%, Mitt Romney 11%

Evangelicals may have made up more than half the voters. Still too close to call.

The man Fox News dismisses has now beaten Fox News’ unofficial candidate in three out of four early contests. Just saying …. You will notice that Hewitt counts Giuliani’s one delegate and omits Paul’s 6.