FiveThirtyEight is a nifty little website that displays electoral projections in — what else? — snazzy red and blue. There's an electoral vote tracker, a scenario analysis rundown and more.

The website's mission is defined thusly: "Most broadly, to accumulate and analyze polling and political data in way that is informed, accurate and attractive. Most narrowly, to give you the best possible objective assessment of the likely outcome of upcoming elections."

I've only recently started looking through it, but I recommend reading more about their process.

As Presidential candidate Barack Obama and John McCain squabble over the details of their campaign statements, one thing they cannot dispute is that fact that the middle class is fighting to survive. In a recent study by the Congressional Joint Committee on Economics, the numbers tell a story of increasing expenses, stagnant incomes, and near non-existent savings for the average American and his/her family. Specifically, in the past six months gas and energy prices at an all-time high have met with major job cuts in every sector. The average American now spends more on mortgage, childcare, and health needs up to the thousands of dollars when compared to years past.

I'm torn. I really am. I thought I could think about T.Boone Pickens as an unambiguous dick. Pickens, a life-long republican, put 3 million dollars into the verb-creating, candidate destroying Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. He then offered a 1 million dollar award to anyone who could disprove their claims. This happened. He changed his mind.

As the national party conventions approach, it is interesting to see how the media pushes and pulls the last two remaining Presidential nominees.

Today Senator Hillary Clinton pledged her "full support" for Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama. Needless to say that there's little else to do with one's back against the wall, it is good to know Senator Clinton can look past her harsh words in months past. To do anything else would have been political suicide.

On Monday, the New York Times featured a powerful, sobering essay by Waldo L. Fielding, M.D., a retired OBGYN in his mid-eighties. In it, he recounts the desperation of young pregnant women in the days before Roe v. Wade, when there were no safe, legal options available to them.

Yesterday former Democratic Presidential nominee John Edwards endorsed Barack Obama for President. This recent development is particularly meaningful in sending the message to Hillary Clinton that it is time to throw in the towel. The continuing Primary race is bad for everyone in very real ways. First off, Democratic polticians cannot publically berate each other and expect the public to believe later that they will function smoothly when this is all over. The nature of debates thus far has made it impossible for an Obama-Clinton ticket to seem at all good for the country. On the same note, I would entertain the idea of an Obama-Edwards ticket which I've been calling for since the start of the race in 2007.

The Democratic nomination race is not over yet, and I am not sure how I feel about this. The delegate counts are very close and it is clear that neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama are ready to call it quits. As the nation waits for the fat lady to sing, it seems the excitement surrounding the Democratic National Convention is mounting.

 On the one hand, many are happy to see the process of democracy continue, though superdelegates question the validity of such an assertion. Howard Dean has made is thoughts on the matter very clear, sighting the need for the Party's special delegates to affirm the voice of the people....which is not, at the moment, very clear.

The role of religious influence in the ongoing Democratic nomination race changed shape today. For the very first time, I heard Senator Barack Obama say something negative and it was not about his opponent Sentor Hillary Clinton.

Plant an organic vegetable garden on the White House lawn? Ratify Kyoto? Pay our UN peacekeeping dues?

What would YOU ask the next President to do On Day One of their administration? That is the question and purpose of On Day One- a new initiative to encourage participation and discussion about America’s role in the world. "