INTO THE ABYSS????

Over the last several days, it seems as though both parties are edging ever closer to some serious self-inflicted wounds......

On the Republican side, the rhetoric - already high up on the nasty meter, seems to be soaring to even higher planes.  With some really, really, tepid "endorsements" for Cruz in Wisconsin from former opponents who are all characterized as heading down the endorsement path as though they were holding their collective noses as they were led down the isle by the Beltway "establishment", to the renewed assault on Cruz when he arrived in New York and got a real dose of  "New York values", it appears that we are headed for some real fireworks.  Perhaps the two candidates will produce so much incendiary commentary that they will burn the Republican House down to the ground by the time that they are through and arrive at their Convention.  Time will tell... but, with today's NY Post front page headline - "Cruz: Take the F U Train", and Trump turning up the heat at his opening rally in Long Island, the R side of the New York adventure looks HOT indeed.  The "Presidential" Trump response should define "NY values" as welcoming to legal immigrants, sensitive to the needs of those of modest income, offering opportunity to those willing to work for it, providing education to millions and millions of children from all backgrounds, courageous in the face of the attack on the World Trade Center, proud of their police and fire personnel, and building a world-class city filled with jobs, commerce, history, arts and everything that makes for a diverse city for others to model.

Meanwhile, the Democrats supporting Sanders got their own share of "red meat" with Sanders' attack on Clinton's "qualifications to be President."  Responding to a reported Clinton attack on Sanders qualifications for the office - that, by the way, didn't happen at all - the Sanders' statement damaged both campaigns as well as providing the Republicans with attack fodder for the fall.... BIG MISTAKE.  My guess is that Bernie Sanders had long ago instructed his campaign staff that they were not to attack Hillary and, instead run an issue-based campaign.  The goal of that was to be able to bring the party together for the fall, 2016 battle with as little self-inflicted damage as possible and to present a strong and united front against whoever the Republican Clown Car produced as their candidate.  But, now that the Sanders staff can see the possibility of actually BECOMING the nominee, they have been trying to find a way to get Bernie to take off the gloves.  So, the Sanders staff "spun" the Hillary comments in the Washington Post on Sanders' poorly thought out comments about how to "break-up the big banks" into a mis-characterization that she said Sanders was not qualified for the presidency.  Then, they sent him out to the microphones to respond while they had him stoked.  How do I know this?  I have been in campaigns for more than 25 years.... and, that is exactly what I would do! I needed my candidate to GET TOUGH!  In any case, just an educated guess...  Hillary, in responding to Bernie's attack on her "qualifications" for the highest office in the nation, handled it well, I thought.  Measured, calm, and supportive, she commented that Sanders would be - by far - a superior candidate to any Republican running and that she would support him in a New York minute and, enthusiastically should he become the Party nominee.  In any case, it's pretty clear that Hillary IS qualified for the office of the Presidency - perhaps more so by experience and temperament than any candidate in living memory.

Right now, Hillary holds a double-digit lead over Sanders among likely NY Democratic voters.  And, Trump - at 52% - with Kasich in second place and Cruz a dismal third at 17 %, is clearly in control so far.  Now, how is that for a New York value! If numbers like this hold, we could see a Presidential contest between 2 New Yorkers - Hillary and Donald.....  or Bernie and Donald?