Has Iowa instantly become obsolete?

Well, tidings from New Hampshire, at least on the Democratic side, are surprising. (I don’t think anyone is really surprised by the fact that McCain prevailed, as the polls showed he would.) Everyone thought that Dems and Independents were flocking to the polls to crown Obama, but it looks as if many were flocking to the polls to vote for someone who can at least boast more familiarity with the White House floor plan than Obama can. It turns out that reports of Hillary’s political death were greatly exaggerated. It also shows that, at least in New Hampshire, pragmatism wins over some sort of goofy idealism for an empty shirt who mirrors everyone’s secret desires. In any event, the most important lesson was that, in this race, it truly ain’t over until it’s over — or at least until Super Tuesday is over.

I’d like to think that, misty dreams of the magic Obama notwithstanding, your ordinary liberal voters — not your hardcore moonbats — are still somewhat pragmatic, and fell for Hillary’s “I’ve got experience” sell.  (And the funny thing is that, compared to the other frontrunners, she does have experience.)  I found this outcome rather cheering, because I’m hoping the same pragmatism prevails in November 2008.  Southern states notwithstanding, I think Huckapalooza is over.  The Paulian surge is also over, or will be as the ugliness in his past begins to catch up with him.  This means that whichever Republican becomes the candidate, he will be a man with hard, successful experience in both the political and the real world.  Perhaps, when the real elections roll around and voters are faced with the practical experience on the Right, and the impractical experience on the Left, that same pragmatism will kick in and witness a vote for a Romney, McCain, Thompson or Giuliani, each of whom has proven himself in the real world as well as the political world.