Via Marc Ambinder

The Clinton folks have apparently settled on a Giuliani type strategy of relying on the Feb.5 states (in effect a national primary) to stop Obama. They also hope for greater press scrutiny of Obama and a desensitization to the more inspirational aspects of his message in the meantime.

I suppose this might work and Hillary should certainly not be counted out despite the tone of some of my more recent blog posts. Still, she would have to post a strong second in New Hampshire (i.e. within 5 points) and a similarly strong showing in South Carolina. What I find amusing about all this though is the propensity of the press, now that the voting has actually started, to withhold judgement out of some sudden respect for the process. I mean, 2 months ago they acted as if the slightest verbal slip in a debate spelled the end of Hillary Clinton. And now, she's come in 3rd in Iowa and they're pretending there's still a contest.