It was an interesting night last night as the race for the Whitehouse begins to distill down. There where some surprises, especially for the Obamawackos, but it went mostly as predicted. Here is a re-cap:

1. John McCain wins the Republican Nomination as Huckabee Exists

Thats right, John is officially the republican nomination for President of the USA - God help us all. Yes, it stinks, but hey. From the Washington Post:

Sen. John McCain clinched the Republican presidential nomination last night, and immediately castigated his potential Democratic rivals as liberals who lack the experience and wisdom to lead a country facing economic distress at home and engaged in war abroad.

The senator from Arizona easily won primaries in Texas and three other states, becoming the new face of the Republican Party and, at last, capturing the prize that had eluded him for a decade. The victories ended one of the great tests of political endurance for a man whose personal mettle was forged by five years in a North Vietnamese prison.

This outcome was a foregone conclusion for month — for everyone but Huckabee. I am not a big McCain fan - he is more liberal than I like. But he is a damned site better than any of the Democrat potentials. So he has my vote.

The White House announced that McCain would receive President Bush’s endorsement after a lunch intended to cement the senator as the political heir of his former rival.

Of course he did - but note that Bush made no endorsement until after McCain has taken the official Republican Nomination.

2. Obama Wins Vermont

His one and only win last night, I might add. Shows people here in Texas and my former home of Ohio have more sense than much of the country. :) Barack took 60% of the votes in Vermont. But heck, even Kucinich took a %. From the Washington Post:

Of all the predictions ventured about what would happen as the votes were tallied today, perhaps the easiest call to make was that Barack Obama would triumph in the Green Mountain State.

No more than 15 minutes after the polls closed in Vermont, it was clear the Illinois senator had won.

3. Clinton Wins Texas, Ohio, and Rhode Island

This was quite a surprise to most people. I wonder who was shocked more - the Obama camp or the Hillary camp. From the Washington Post:

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton won critically important victories in Ohio and Texas last night, defying predictions of an imminent end to her presidential candidacy and extending the remarkable contest for the Democratic nomination to Pennsylvania’s April primary and perhaps well into the summer.

Clinton also won in Rhode Island, while Sen. Barack Obama captured Vermont. Her victories snapped his winning streak at 12 consecutive contests, rejuvenated her struggling candidacy and jolted a Democratic Party establishment that was beginning to see Obama as the likely nominee.

Clinton still faces daunting odds in her bid for the nomination. Obama began the day with a lead in pledged delegates that will be hard for her to overcome in the 12 primaries and caucus remaining, despite the results from the four states voting yesterday. But her advisers said that the big win in Ohio alone would force a serious look at both candidates and that the race was far from over.

I wonder if Hillary knows she probably has Rush Limbaugh to thank for her wins - after all, he was urging republicans to vote for Hillary in the Primaries. In any event, it will make for a more interesting Democratic race. As Hugh, over at Townhall put it, “A month ago talk radio was dead. Now it has resurrected Hillary?”

These wins seriously helped Hillary, however, she is still running behind and it will be very difficult if not imposable for her to catch up.

In any event, it should be entertaining for a while as they continue what promises to be a bitterly entertaining race.

Also Reporting:
Hot Air
Michelle Malkin
Ace of Spades
OTB
Stop the ACLU
Oblogatory Anecdotes
Town Hall