Confound It

Well, I guess all the pundits got a big surprise in New Hampshire, huh? Obama had been polling several points above Clinton, but Clinton pulled out the victory. I loved Colbert's take on it -- "How dare the people go ahead and vote for who they want, instead of who we pundits tell them they'll be voting for?" (I am ecstatic that he and Stewart are back on the air, even if they aren't at full strength due to the writer's strike). I'm pleased about her victory, not because I'm supporting her (I'm still undecided), but because I think that the longer we go into the primary season without anointing a nominee, the longer we have to participate in the debate about how to fix the problems we're currently facing.

How does everyone feel about the media's treatment of Clinton? Does she face extra scrutiny because of who she is? I'm not sure that it's gender-related, as much as it is Hillary Clinton-related. For good or ill, she has a reputation that colors how people view her. The pundits thought her voice cracking in New Hampshire was a Howard Dean scream moment, but apparently the voters thought differently. Some people said that it made them see that she wasn't seeking the Presidency for power or revenge, but because she really wants to address the problems that we face. Others, of course, were convinced it was all an act designed to elicit sympathy. I thought it was very interesting, however, that 60% of people who responded to a FOX NEWS POLL thought her emotion was genuine. If ever there was a crowd that hates HRC, it's the Faux News crowd.

A neighbor of mine works on the Clinton campaign, and she's just back from weeks in Iowa and New Hampshire. I'll talk to her this weekend about her experiences, and if she has any interesting stories or insight, I'll share them here. She always has great stories, and I'm curious to get a first-hand look at the nitty-gritty of campaign life.

On the Raven front, I emailed Blue Moon a couple of pictures of the lace skein I got. They agreed that the skein did not look as it should, and have graciously agreed to exchange it for a new one, so I'm pleased.

Miss Lambert's shawl is a little longer, but a picture wouldn't be too interesting. There hasn't been that much knitting here lately. Yesterday was an early release day, so the kids were home all afternoon, and today was filled up with bill paying, food shopping, getting the Laci skein mailed off to Blue Moon, and a nice, long lunch with a friend. Not complaining, just explaining. Nothing's on tap for tomorrow, so I should get some good knitting done.

In other knitting news, the following have arrived from Lacis to tempt me:

When I said that I was in a lace mood, I wasn't kidding. I've been seeing some beautiful lace patterns on Ravelry and in blogs, and the idea of a little piece of art lace appeals to me. The doilies are small, so they won't consume as much time as a full-sized shawl. I can frame them and hang them up, since we're not really a doily-using household.