Don't expect any changes in the positions of Obama and McCain until safely after the election. If Obama wins, he will begin looking to the next Iowa primary four years hence.

I just did an interview with a major newspaper on Obama. Sounds like they are starting to kick the tires, because this didn't sound too friendly. I said that I was disappointed in some of his moves in the energy/environment sphere. However, I can't seriously fault him for supporting corn ethanol. He comes from a corn producing state. He is running for president, and that means he has to make a good showing in Iowa.

The truth of the matter is that if he had not been pro corn ethanol, he wouldn't be where he is. That is the political reality. But hopefully, he will have good advisors and he will be willing to make unpopular decisions if necessary. Because I have thought for months that he would be our next president. (I got into a funny argument with my father-in-law at Christmas who asserted that there was no way he could beat Hillary. I said "Just watch.")

I've been uncomfortable with Obama's willingness to play to corn ethanol and coal producers as well, but the political necessity of doing so is rather obvious, and there are no contenders with clean hands on that score...

FWIW, I happened to catch a RARE question about energy on the CNBC-sponsored Democratic debate several weeks back, and Obama's response was the only one that sounded right to me. He said that the low-hanging fruit was clearly efficiency and conservation. I don't think I've heard any of the other candidates say that. He may be cozy with corn and coal, but at least he seems to "get" it about the big picture on energy.

I agree: I think we're going to be an Obamanation.

(No, I can't take credit for that coinage, and I don't know who should rightly get it.)