The Buzz

• The turnout for today’s West Virginia primary is expected to be top-notch, with the mix of extra attention and good weather said to be driving voters to the polls in droves. There have been reports of ballot shortages at more than one polling place: And this is barely into the afternoon. A sign of an impending Clinton triumph? What sort of message would a a 20-30 point defeat coupled with mega turnout send to Obama, the “presumptive nominee”? Would that completely change how he is viewed by the press and Dem superdelegates/voters? Plots, plots…

• Hillary may be headed for a landslide in Mountaineer country, but Obama continues to dominate the superdelegate race. His momentum in landing scores of important SD’s shows no signs of stopping: We’ll see what WV does to that. But he ’s rolling today, adding to his lead over HRC with an SD score of 4-0 by snagging names like NOLA Mayor Ray Nagin and IN Rep. Joe Donnelly. He also picked up an elected delegate defector from Hillary’s camp. So another day goes by (well, nearly another day…) with a net gain of zero super’s for Hillary after her well-publicized blitz of personal phone calls and conferences with uncommitted delegates.

• One of those four superdelegates breaking for Obama, ex-DNC chair and former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer, basically called out Hillary during a press call for her decision to carry on the race as far as it goes and noted that he believes the Dem race is finis`. He didn’t blatantly call for her to withdraw ASAP, but his language was strong - and direct. - Romer “…believes all superdelegates should get on the record “right now.” It’s “now time to turn to the general.” The math is controlling. This race, I believe, is over.” He continued, “Sen Obama. has accumulated a lead in delegates that cannot be overcome.” - More of the same from the super’s in the future? Or, again, will WV make a difference?

• Not desiring to hang around the mountain hamlets and coal-stained cities of West Virginia, Obama has decided to change focus and start preparing for the ultimate prize in November. He is set to begin a hastily-arranged general election tour through Missouri - other states later this month - centering on wooing those key swing voters and soothing the hearts and minds of Midwest white moderates about his candidacy. He will kick off the tour with a town hall in the gritty locale of Cape Girardeau later today, just hours before Hillary will be celebrating a probable landslide over the probable Dem nominee in WV. Quite the awkward tableau for a race filled with them.

• Poor John McCain can’t decide what hole he fits into. On the same day he unleashes a long and blustering speech about the dangers of global warming - which might not be as bad as all the scientists say, but which needs to be corralled with government caps, but should also be left alone to the “free market” and Big Business to fight (whew…) - he appears at a campaign stop with Oregon Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski. The Guv didn’t actually have much to do with McCain and didn’t even mention his presence at the event, which took place at the Oregon wind-power company HQ where JMac delivered his big speech. But McCain played up Kulongoski and, thusly, his own bipartisan appeal and efforts to breach ideological divides. All very good for the image, you know. But no one got Kulongoski’s reaction to JMac’s all-over-the-map speech.

• You heard it here first: The top picks for Veep are… Romney and Huckabee for the GOP: Edwards for Obama. Hillary is the wild card, but odds are against it. No one wants a divided ticket. And why would Obama put up with Bill wandering the White House halls?

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