As the presidential nominating contest enters Super Tuesday, a sense of inevitability is in the air. Two candidates will emerge from Tuesday's 20-plus states nominating contests to be their party's nominee: John McCain and Hillary Clinton.
These two candidates have positioned themselves in such a way by capitalizing on previous victories, expanding their base of support and by running smart, well-disciplined campaigns. It should be no surprise to anyone that it would be these two heavyweights left standing in their respective rings.
Sen. Clinton has been perceived and accepted, by many, to be the Democratic party's eventual nominee for president since the loss of Sen. John Kerry to Pres. George W. Bush in 2004. Even with the rise of Sen. Barack Obama, another Clinton in the White House was pretty much a foregone conclusion by most Democrats.
Additionally, as weaker candidates entered the race, the prospects of Hillary's candidacy outshined all others. Only the rock star status of Obama posed any potential threat to her nomination. Even the missteps of her surrogates and her former president husband could not derail the Hillary Express. With no true rival able to stand toe-to-toe with the former First Lady, Sen. Clinton is well on her way to crushing her final opponent.
On the right side of the spectrum, Sen. McCain, aka the Maverick, entered his third presidential race as one of several top tier candidates. After a somewhat strong showing in the spring of 2007 the once front-runner's campaigned stalled. His momentum flat lined due to a fumbling of an immigration reform bill and the increasing number of competitors entering the race.
As the dog days of summer rolled into the pigskin days of fall, the McCain campaign began to regain its footing. With very little money, the McCain camp was able to survive Christmas and then Iowa with a third place finish. As a little life flickered on the campaign's EKG, a decisive win in New Hampshire marked McCain's march to the top.
When the battleground shifted to South Carolina, McCain was riding high. His win in South Carolina paved the way for his encore in Florida. It may not have been a fore gone conclusion a year ago, but with decisive victories and tons of support, Sen. McCain's nomination is a sure bet.
As the polls come to a close on Super Tuesday, America and the world will await the fight of the century by two of this nation's heaviest of heavyweights.
Be the first to comment on this article!