And various other places besides. But, as she faces the last big round of primaries in the US, Hillary Clinton is definitely up against it. Barack Obama has been sweeping up lots of small states (and not just those with a black majority) and is now narrowly ahead in the delegate race. Hillary could, and may well, triumph in the big ones to come (as she did in California and New York) but it's certainly even money, if not better, for Obama to win the nomination. I still think Hillary might sneak it, but there you go. More and more US commentators are talking about some sort of transformation in the US (I hesitate to use the word crusade) propelling Obama to the White House. They're comparing him to the Kennedys, but John got in because dad, evil old Joe, swung Chicago with the help of the Mafia (who may, or may not, have gained their retribution for promises undelivered (by Bobby as it happens) in Dallas just three years later. When Bobby ran in 1968 (and was assassinated too, of course) views on his candidacy were equally split between supporters who thought he was pursuing an ideal and others who felt he was another machine politician. And that's the thing about Obama. There's no real previous at all. As for the Republicans, McCain will surely win and who's that dangling over his shoulder? Why defeated moneybags Milt Romney. Romney has asked his supporters to back McCain. Has a vice-presidency deal with Romney been struck already? McCain is 71 after all, so Milt can afford to bide his time.