This would have been written yesterday except for the geographical fact that I was in Wenatchee all day Tuesday. The next time you're in the Apple Capitol of the World make sure you eat lunch at Dusty's In-N-Out. Best burger in Central Washington. The onion rings will make you rethink that whole atheism thing; they are that divine. Dusty's shakes are great but to be fair EZ's Burger Deluxe across the street probably has the leg up.

So why is the important lede paragraph of this piece focused about munching on burgers with "extra goop" - aaaahhh - instead of the primary? It's because Washington's Feb. 19 primary didn't really matter.

If you're a Democrat it was a multi-million dollar hog calling contest. For Republicans, the results were probably a foregone conclusion. Nineteen delegates are being allocated based on yesterday's turnout but everyone knows McCain is going to be the nominee barring some tragedy or scandal.

Who'd I vote for? Mike Huckabee.

Having done so I woke up this morning to the warm feeling of sunshine on my cheeks, the song of winter robins chirping by the window and a wonderful spring in my step.

It's rather amusing to read the remarks below by Stefan and Eric. One wonders how Double-E has found the time to post anything what with all the cold showers and packs of gum he's been chewing after enduring the unendurable. It was kind of odd to see Jim Miller providing the lone voice of reason here at Sound Politics when it comes to supporting McCain. This has been a peculiar election season though.

My rationale for filling the arrow in next to the Huckster's name is completely different than the traditional lines you've been hearing from some of the lone remaining diehards who are not ready to back McCain. Not ready to back McCain...yet.

This guy doesn't go to church so the vote wasn't about making sure the voice of evangelicals is heard. McCain is not going to change his policies and somehow veer to the right (or left) simply because of what a minority of primary voters in Washington or Wisconsin think. There will be no miracle that sends the nomination into the convention. Nor is McCain a worse choice for president than Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama or the Antichrist.

My vote was simply an atta boy to Huck for running a good hard and relatively clean race.

With the continual internecine battle for the Democratic nomination between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton it is imperative that McCain get as much attention and free airtime on newscasts between now and the convention.

There's been a lot of nonsense spouted by the usual clueless hacks and commentators that don't know a donkey's dictionary about political strategy saying Huckabee should drop out so McCain can focus on "uniting the party". Wander around a cow pasture long enough and you'll run into something of equal value to that line.

As long as the former Arkansas governor keeps playing the bass, McCain gets to take lead vocal while uniting the party by winning every party vote between now and whenever he gets 1191 delegates. He can hold rallies and give victory speeches as Republicans from state after state rush to embrace the Maverick. Then he can use the time to either define himself or tear into his Democratic opponent.

After the first results came in from Wisconsin yesterday, you saw McCain laying down some spotting rounds against Obama during his televised victory rally. After McCain "wins" some of the later primaries in March he'll have a chance to fire for effect.

It's political kabuki theater. Do you think any of the network or cable newscasts would give the Republican nominee fifteen seconds if the race was wrapped up? Don't be ridiculous. Not when the Clinton machine is lashing out in its final death throes and Barackomania is packing 20,000 seat arenas.

After title fights in the nineteenth century champion boxers would tour the country and hold exhibition fights of two or three rounds often times against the opponent they defeated. They were little more than sparring matches but it gave locals living in tank towns like Seattle or Green Bay a chance to feel like they were witnessing something important.

If the McCain campaign savvied strategy they'd hold one last round of debates between Huckabee and McCain. The two men like each other. To use a soccer term the affair would probably wind up being a "friendly" where the pair could discuss whether Obama or Clinton would be a worse president.

So Huckabee keeps running and draws a lot of the negative attention that would be directed against his opponent at this stage. McCain gets press and he builds up electoral steam. Washington and Wisconsin hopped on the Straight Talk Express! Can't you feel the excitement? Will this momentum propel McCain to victories in Texas or Ohio?

The drama.