After tonight’s big victory in North Carolina and a close second in Indiana it now appears to this armchair political junkie from the Conservative Capital of California that Barack Obama is now on the verge of wrapping up the nomination of the Democratic party. I don’t expect Hillary Clinton to quit, lay down, or resign the nomination to Obama in the next few days or week but from where I stand I think it’s now a done deal…it's over...it's finished...I don't want to gloat or announce that I told anybody so, but tonight Obama has proven, to me at least, and I suspect many other super delegates, that he "is" the candidate. ...the people have spoken.... Personally, I feel gratified on tonights monumental victory because despite all the criticism and negative publicity over the past two weeks Barack Obama has demonstrated that he has what it takes to "stay in the kitchen"...but...equally important...the American people have demonstrated that they are able to move past and rise above the political nonsense and trivia that has flooded the airways over the past couple of weeks...This is very encouraging...and...I confess, while I never had any doubts about Barack Obama's abilities during this most difficult time of his campaign, I wasn't sure if the American voters would be able to rise to the occasion...but...they have...and...all that remains is the coming out party of the super delegates which I expect to began in earnest as early as tomorrow...It is also very satisfying to see that political gimics, negative campaign tactics, comments taken out of context, and guilt by association strategies apparently no longer carry the day...so...while my hope has somewhat wavered over the past three or four weeks it is now good to feel a new surge of hope again.