WASHINGTON -- For the political junkie, we are entering the best of times, or the worst of times. Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry clinched the Democratic nomination for the presidency on March 2 (Super Tuesday), exactly eight months to the day before the general election on Nov. 2. With President George W. Bush unopposed for his party's nomination, the gladiators are now in the arena and ready to begin a great, 241-day battle.
The race right now is almost dead even, as the electorate is totally polarized. According to a recent Associated Press poll, the Republican incumbent has 46 percent support; the Democratic challenger, 45 percent; and independent Ralph Nader, 6 percent. A few items are dangling on the Democratic side:
Kerry needs another 605 delegates at the Democratic National Convention on July 26-29 to officially become the party's presidential nominee. As of last week, he had collected 1,557 delegates with victories in 27 of the first 30 Democratic electoral contests, according to a CNN tabulation. A candidate needs 2,162 delegates out of a possible 4,322.