Enter the ladies...and it's not who you think...

You would think that when we talk about the ladies in politics that we would be referring to Senator Hillary Clinton. Nope. It's the possible nominees for each party's spouses that is my subject today.

Michelle Obama got things rolling with a comment at a rally in Madison Wisconsin Sunday night.

For the first time in my adult lifetime, I'm proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change. And I have been desperate to see our country moving in that direction. And just not feeling so alone in my frustration and disappointment I've seen people who are hungry to be unified around some basic, common issues and it's made me proud.

Now, to many voters, their reaction will be "what's the big deal?" I suppose to others, who know the Obama's situation, it's likely to be "Harvard educated, large law firm, millionaires, Senator, author" and she's just now proud of her country in her adult lifetime? It seems like she is running for the Bill and Hillary Clinton "It's all about us" award.

Cindy McCain just responded a few hours ago by saying, "I have always been proud of my country." She didn't elaborate, but since many of the journalists following the McCain campaign can read and speak English, they knew what she was referring to.

Will this cost the Obama juggernaut any momentum? Probably not. The majority of Obama supporters, angry at 7 years of George Bush, frustrated over Iraq, and exasperated by the Clintons ("Dammit, they still don't go!") are likely to agree with Michelle's sentiments. But so far the Obama phenomenon has kept ahead of the Clintons because of their "happy words" and talk of hope and uplifting subject matter. It may be that Michelle will have to be a little more judicious with her words in future months. Barack is still enough of a blank slate that he doesn't have a bottomless well of good-feelings to draw on. People are still wondering if he is as good as he seems at first glance.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin has a primary today and Hawaii has a caucus. Obama should win easily in the caucus in one of his original home states. He usually excels at caucuses anyway. Wisconsin will be watched carefully by the chattering class. Before the Obama string of victories, most observers would have picked Hillary to win this state. With it's blue-collar constituencies, Wisconsin should be a good place for Hillary to stop Obama's winning streak, but momentum and an energized college student voting bloc should be enough to give the Illinois senator this state. If she pulls off a surprise win, then it will really start to get ugly as we ramp up to Texas and Ohio.

If Obama wins big, then pressure will emanate from the political Illuminati that run the Democratic National Committee to get Super Delegates to commit for Obama and prevent Denver from becoming Chicago 1968.

It should be an interesting evening.

Coach