So Barack and Hillary snuck out on the press last night for a cozy tete-a-tete. Wouldn't you just love being a fly on that wall? A tony senatorial door opens somewhere in D.C. "Senator." "Senator." In silence, two people walk into a beautifully appointed living room and sit down in armchairs facing each other. The silence lengthens. Then one of them says, "Barack, these heels are killing me. Mind if I take off my shoes?" "No problem, go for it!" Then they laugh. He asks her, "OK, Hillary, let's cut to the chase. I want to ask you the big question."

Defeating John McCain -- that's the bottom line this fall. Whether you were a backer of Obama or Clinton (or Edwards, Dodd, Richardson, Biden, Gravel, Kucinich or Vilsack), the door has now clicked shut on the primary season, and we as progressives need to combine our forces to achieve victory in November. With the stakes this high, we need (to use one of the sports metaphors pundits love) to keep our eye on the ball. Here is the resume of the Republican nominee:

Pennsylvania has spoken. And I'm tired. Tired not only in the "working the election for 17 hours" sense, but also in the sense of "how much longer will this go on?"

It isn't often that I'm pleasantly surprised by politics, but I am today. Pennsylvania Senator Robert P. "Bob" Casey, Jr., has endorsed Barack Obama for President. It's a gutsy move I wouldn't have expected from a politician who seemed so cautious and low-key; in fact, Casey had planned to stay neutral in the Pennsylvania primary, and he could easily have done so.

Walking through the parking lot that afternoon, I was sure I knew how to keep myself safe. I scanned my surroundings and knew I was alone; I kept away from the building as I turned the corner so I could see what was around it. I strode to the car and slipped the key in the lock. Then I was attacked from behind. He had emerged quietly from the van next to the car, and his arms were tight around my neck.