Nevada

While the media rain attention on the results of the South Carolina primary, I want to record that the real action took place at the Nevada Democratic caucuses today, where the winning candidate captured more than 98% of the vote, and where more than 12,000 intrepid Democrats braved some pretty bad weather, to vote in a race whose results they already knew were a foregone conclusion.

It's a challenge to drum up excitement for that, as I can attest from having spent last night with a delightful group of Obama volunteers, making calls to supporters in North Las Vegas, to encourage them to attend today's caucuses. Most of the people we called didn't need much prodding, and were enthusiastic about coming out to show their support for the president.

Unlike all the people who are spending tons of money, time and effort to promote one questionable Republican candidate after another, at least I can say that my efforts have some chance of helping elect the next president.

One thing I would caution the president's supporters not to do, however, is to get too excited about the spectacle of a divisive Republican race and the possibility of a weak general election candidate. That may help President Obama get elected, which of course is a good thing, but ultimately, it would be even better if the Republicans get their act together, nominate the strongest ticket they can muster, put on a credible campaign, and still go down to crushing defeat. That would be the best way to stop the excuses we are already starting to hear from the right (blaming the media, blaming the Tea Party, blaming moderates, blaming vote fraud, etc.) for the Republicans' potential defeat, and get even those Republican voters in places like South Carolina to accept the fact that Barack Obama--fair and square--is going to be president for four more years.

(Jude Joffe-Block photo from Twitter)