What about McCain?

Well, the results are in, and it looks like John McCain has won the South Carolina primary. This must be a satisfying victory for him because it was there in 2000 that he got such a raw deal from Bush/Rove.

Although it will be a long time before the Republican nominee will be known, we really ought to think about McCain. In a general election, he could be very electable.

That's because he does carry a reputation for integrity about him. People know that he believes what he says, even if they don't agree with him. He's the kind of politician who is less likely to take a stand because of which way the winds are blowing.

Another reason he's electable is that winning the general election is about capturing that narrow but vital segment of undecided, independent voters. That's his strength. That's how he's winning primaries, and that could give the Democrats a major problem in November.

If McCain does get the nomination, the good news is that the American public may actually get an election worth voting in. It won't be all about strategy, dirty tricks and the politics of entrenched ideology. It will be more about issues. It could be an opportunity for Americans to really think about what direction they want the country to go.

This election may go down to the wire, and we'll all be holding our breath.