I heard on CSPAN this morning in an interview with Zogby that McCain had received a bounce as a consequence of the endorsement. But what will remain to be seen is if FL's organization in the GOP is as effective as SC where Graham and his network delivered a close election to McCain.

Will the endorsement result in the GOP organization in FL getting out that vote? If not that bodes ill for the GOP this fall.

In many respects the State of the Union should focus on the economy and attempt to manage some expectations on the GWOT.

The supposition that the economic ill health is due in entirety to the Iraq war is simply not true, and the ugly truth that we have no real alternative at this juncture to succeeding is moot.

The financial crisis was a long time coming and smart money exited the market and have found safe haven banks. It is not as if suddenly there was a realization that the deregulation of the mortgage industry to allow some of the financing that occured is the cause of the current 'hangover' in the economy.

But the GOP needs to make up its mind, speak as if the GWOT is the core issue, or as if it is not! And in respect to that observation I would imagine that this will be one of the more memorable and frankly disappointing state of the union speech's for the GOP in decades, since the 70's.

I think that there is a correlation to success in Iraq and the economy, and to suggest otherwise underscores what I would consider ignorance of the way that international markets work.

I think that McCain offers the best opportunity to the GOP. If asked the question do you want the Commander in Chief to be weak in economics or national security. which would you choose?

The answer to delegate is of course the candidates answers to that false choice, but the legacy of the GOP is on display tonight, and that doesn't promise to be pretty.

If Obama wins the Democratic convention, then McCain will do well against him but possibly loose some moderates, if he runs against Hillary he will do better.

If Romney runs against either, he will be marginalized by that vast middle of the electorate who financially are not happy, have reservations about the Iraq war, and have a 'venture capitalist' running for the highest office, a word and job title likely to turn voters off as the stimulus package fails to become a panacea and revised earnings continue to disappoint in the financial sector.

Rudy is done! Plain and simple, there is no credibility after tuesday and I imagine early contributors are angry, dissapointed, and accepting the fact that that was a 'peak and burn' name recognition mirage on the political landscape.

Huckabee has yet to convince how his tax scheme would benefit America. It is to esocteric and turns voters off, his start might fade also similar to Rudy if McCain wins as a sense of urgency ignites far right wing GOP to 'stop McCain.'

But here is the ass-kicker prediction, I bet Thompson if on the ballot, and certainly in write-in-absentee ballots beats Paul.

If Paul gets 4%, his start is fading also, and he drops into obscurity and is overshadowed by a McCain and Mit struggle if Romney continues funding his own campaign.

We will be down to 3 or 4 after FL. That is assuming that Rudy bows out gracefully after FL and eliminates further damage to the 'Rudy Branding' or what is left of it.

But lets see how the GOP can deliver on organization in FL, that is the story, especially after the State of the Union, that will matter.