There's lots for me to criticize in this Confluence post about the relationship between race and the subprime market, including a certain amount of PC policemanism which I am not at all averse to inflicting. Let's just say that it's pretty much well known around both here and there that my threshold for a racism accusation is a lot lower than theirs, and for that reason, the PUMA phenomenon as a movement seems rather tone-deaf to me about race issues.

So the primaries draw near and people who are not political junkies are starting to pay attention. Numbers are shifting wildly in unexpected directions. Not a vote has been cast yet and it's anybody's race.

Who do you think is going to be the Democratic nominee, and who on the Republican side? Not who you WANT to win, who do you think WILL win? Take off your preferences hat and put on the cold green eyeshade of the oddsmaker.

Optional bonus round: what matchup would be the most interesting to watch play out? Hillary vs. Guiliani? Obama vs. Huckabee? Edwards vs. Romney? Some variant of the above?

Note: Al. Gore. Is. Not. Running. Please do not cite him in any of the questions posed above. However for an optional bit of amusement,