SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:56 P.M. ET: 

OUT – Carly Fiorina and Chris Christie have dropped out of the Republican race, which is entirely logical.  They're both good people, and there'd been high hopes for Christie at one time.  But neither made much progress with the voters.  Between them they may have had, oh, about 7%, and I have no idea where those votes will go.  I would hope that Dr. Ben Carson would also decide to leave, rather than embarrass himself further.  He's a fine man in the wrong role.  John Kasich got a boost from New Hampshire, but I doubt if his good fortune will repeat itself in South Carolina, a week from Saturday.  He, too, might depart.  The serious field is Trump, Cruz, Rubio, and, to a degree, Jeb Bush.

MIKE? – Speculation grows that Mike Bloomberg might enter the race.  No fundraisers needed, as he's a multi-billionaire.  He is meeting with pollster Frank Luntz.  I've read that some preliminary polls taken put Bloomberg, who is barely known outside New York City, at about 10%.  But he could flood the airways with ads, and could probably boost his share quickly to 20%, which is what Ross Perot got in 1992.  Don't underestimate Bloomberg's potential to shake up the race.  He provides a dignified, rational alternative to the tumult we're seeing.

HILLARY'S LAST STAND? – The Dems vote in South Carolina on the 27th, a week after the Republicans vote in the state.  Many are saying that if Hillary can't stop Sanders in South Carolina, she's lost the race and might as well get out.  South Carolina, with its large minority population, is made for Hillary.  But Hillary has run an awful campaign, and her concession speech in New Hampshire made matter worse.  She came off as a hack, trying to pacify every group she could remember to name.  No vision, no spirit.  No style.  And she still has an FBI probe over her head.   At the same time, Bernie Sanders, like the leftist Barack Obama before him, is not under any serious press scrutiny.  He's the media's next dream – a real socialist in the White House.  The inaugural ball will be held on a union picket line somewhere in the rust belt.

February 10, 2016