Potomac Confidential

Washington's Hour of Talk Power

Potomac Confidential fills the midday lull with discussion by Metro columnist Marc Fisher, who looks at the latest news with a rigorous slicing and dicing of the issues that define who we are and where we live.

Fisher was online Thursday, Feb. 7, at Noon ET to talk about the forces and issues at play in Tuesday's Potomac Primary, as well as the Al Wynn-Donna Edwards Congressional contest in Maryland and other hot local topics.

Today's Column: That's Entertainment: The Also-Rans' Straight Talk

Raw Fisher: Potomac Primary: Barry Endorses Obama

Check out Marc's blog, Raw Fisher.

In his weekly show, Fisher veers wildly from serious probing to silly prattle, and is open to topics local, national, personal and more.

Archives: Discussion Transcripts

A transcript follows.

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Marc Fisher: Welcome aboard, folks. Hillary Clinton appears in Arlington this afternoon and the Barack Obama campaign indicates that their man will be in our region over the next few days. John McCain and Mitt Romney speak at a conservative gathering in the District today. Despite all the hype about how frontloaded this primary season would be, the Potomac Primary will be an important, if not decisive, moment in this unusual campaign.

What's your sense of how the votes will go here next Tuesday? Today's column looks at the congressional contest in Maryland's 4th District, where challenger Donna Edwards is again giving Rep. Al Wynn a tough race. On the blog, Marion Barry endorses Obama. Also on the blog, I've got a survey going on the possible presidential scenarios coming out of next Tuesday's vote. Please register your views there. And next Tuesday's Raw Fisher Radio will take a primary day look at some of the demographic and political forces that will shape the day's voting. Among my guests will be Prince George's State's Attorney Glenn Ivey.

We'll also talk non-political stories today, but first, the Yay and Nay of the Day:

Yay to the Republican House leaders in Virginia who this week delivered a compromise on the payday loan industry that the industry says would put them out of business but that is wholly reasonable. If the payday loan companies can't make a profit charging 36 percent interest--the cap foreseen in the legislative compromise--then they shouldn't be out there at all.

Nay to Republicans in Richmond who are getting all hot and bothered about the decision by William and Mary president Gene Nichol to allow a Sex Workers stage show that was sponsored in part by student organizations. The show, part of a national tour, was toned down for Virginia's sensitive nature, but still some voices are calling for Nichol's head when the college president actually handled the matter quite reasonably.

Your turn starts right now....

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Washington, D.C.: It's widely expected that Obama could sweep the upcoming primary but I find that the national media really underestimates the power of the Clinton name in this area. I live in DC, I've seen the same Obama commercial several times but it's such a general commercial I can't really make a call on where he stands on the issues (against Iraq war, but how does that separate him from Hillary? She voted for it, but she wasn't the only one, and she herself said if she had known it was going to be this bad, she wouldn't have voted for it). With Clinton, it's a different story. You know her, she was the first lady for 8 years, very popular, she appeals to the working class (which is a huge segment of the population in DC/MD/VA).I guess what I'm saying is, these experts shouldn't make such a bold prediction. Hillary wasn't expected to win New Hampshire, but she did. She wasn't expected to win Kennedy-owned Massachusetts, but she did.

Marc Fisher: Well, perhaps, but one of the sharpest breaks in the Democratic voting thus far has been the racial divide--more powerful than the gender gap. And in all three of our jurisdictions, a very large portion of the Democratic voters Tuesday will be blacks--a majority in the District, close to half in Maryland, and well more than a third in Virginia. Obviously, Clinton has some black support--we see that in the endorsements as well as among regular voters--but overall, those numbers have been going Obama's way.

That said, there is a real divide beyond race in this contest, and some folks posting today are raising questions about whether Obama's appeal is too ethereal and vague for policy-oriented voters in this region.

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Washington, D.C.: I'm probably in the minority here, but when I hear Obama speak...and don't get me wrong, he's a great speaker, but I feel he doesn't say anything worth holding on to.

Marc Fisher: I hear that a fair amount, but what I hear from voters far more often is that they haven't felt this inspired by a politician in many years. Just as Clinton gets portrayed as more wooden than she really is, Obama's image is less substantive than he really is. Don't confuse his rhetorical style on the stump with his knowledge of the issues--after all, Lincoln and FDR made heavy use of poetic imagery in their speeches, but that didn't mean they didn't know their stuff when it came to the issues of governance.

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washingtonpost.com: That's Entertainment: The Also-Rans' Straight Talk ( Post, Feb. 7)

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Baltimore, Md.: Re the "Potomac Primary." I have also heard it called the Chesapeake Primary. But last night on the News Hour, Mark Shields gave it the best name: The Crab Cake Primary.

Whatever you call it, as a Marylander I am just glad to finally be voting in a Democratic primary where my vote is actually important.

Marc Fisher: Crab Cake Primary seems too Maryland-centric. The Baltimore press is pushing hard for the Chesapeake Primary moniker, but that leaves out the District, which doesn't border on the bay. The only name that's fair to all three jurisdictions is Potomac Primary, so that's what I'm going with.

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washingtonpost.com: Raw Fisher: Potomac Primary: Barry Endorses Obama ( Raw Fisher, Feb. 7)

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Washington, D.C.: I don't understand this talk that if Obama wins 7 of the next 10 primaries, he's in the lead. If Clinton wins Texas, wouldn't that diminish Obama's supposed victories in D.C., Md., Va., etc?

Marc Fisher: Depends on how much you believe in the power of momentum. The trick at this point is to build up a run of wins, which in turn creates the fundraising power and media buzz that the campaigns hope to parlay into more delegates down the road. But you're right--Obama can win all the small states and still lose if Clinton controls the biggest states.

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Arlington, Va.: So Mayor Barry has endorsed Obama.

Why couldn't he just shut up and go away instead?

Marc Fisher: But then he wouldn't be Marion Barry, right? The former mayor is an expert at playing off the news and playing against the powers that be. He manages to keep himself in the spotlight, even if it means occasionally contradicting himself, as I wrote about last Sunday on his switcheroo over D.C. schools closings.

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Arlington, Va.: If I am Obama, I downplay the Barry endorsement as much as possible or even better, don't acknowledge it. Barry is a symbol of corruptness and it does not go along with the idea of hope and change. Any photo op would only end up being used against him (and rightly so, Barry is a horrible man)

Marc Fisher: I think it's safe to say that there will be no Obama-Barry embrace pic. It's probably safe to say that Obama will not make any D.C.-centric campaign stops, either. The main action Tuesday is in Virginia, which is the only of our three jurisdictions where the outcome is in great doubt.

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Washington, D.C.: What do you make of the argument that if Hillary wins the Democratic nomination, independents would go over and vote for McCain just because it's Hillary? It's a really close-minded view I think.

Marc Fisher: Why is that closed-minded? I hear this from far more Democrats than I'd expected to, including lots of folks who have worked in Democratic administrations. They like McCain's flexibility and imagination and they tend to think of Clinton as someone who sees the world in terms of loyalties and enemies, and they find that approach far too reminiscent of the current leaseholder at the White House. It's her intellectual woodenness, not her restrained emotions on the campaign trail, that sends many Dems looking toward McCain.

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Arlington, Va.: Really stupid question; actually, I can't believe I'm really asking it.

Am I already registered to vote in the primary by virtue of being a registered voter in Virginia, or did I need to register separately for the primary (in which case it's too late)?

OK, I'll shut up now and slink quietly off into my corner of abysmal ignorance.

Marc Fisher: You're good to go.

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Gallery Place, Washington, D.C.: Back with more re the Gallery Place Audio Screens: Thanks to the actions of Gallery Place residents and probably the Sunday WP Metro article on the topic, those noisome telescreens have...temporarily at least...stopped their intrusive and repetitive noise pollution. What a relief! I welcome the visual "clutter" they provide but the audio level was insulting...like being forced to don an iPod headset and hear endless commercials. A small victory for sane communal behavior.

washingtonpost.com: The Sound and the Fury ( Post, Feb. 3)

Marc Fisher: Thanks for the update--I hadn't heard that, so to speak. So The Post gets action, huh? Well, a lot of folks who live and work near Gallery Place will be pleased. I wasn't terribly offended by the noise, but then again, I didn't have to live with it all day long.

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Anonymous: I felt a sense of disbelief when I read today¿s Post article about travlers¿ laptops being confiscated at random by customs agents at U.S. airports so that our government could determine what Web sites the traveler had looked at, what e-mails had been sent, etc. No cause need be shown. We may not be willing to sacrifice tax cuts to finance the war on terror, but sacrificing our constitutional rights is easy. This does not seem to have raised flags of alarm in Congress or the country at large.

washingtonpost.com: Clarity Sought on Electronics Searches ( Post, Feb. 7)

Marc Fisher: There is a strange and sad quiet surrounding so many of the security overreaches that have been imposed by this administration. It's fair to expect that the next administration--whether D or R--will pull back on some of those excesses.

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Marc Fisher: Just in--first reports that Mitt Romney is suspending his campaign.

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Mount Rainier, Md.: Mr. Fisher,

A couple of observations I'd like to get your feedback on -- first, why this "sudden" excitment in the outcome of the MD/DC/Va. primary? Haven't everyone's votes always counted? And as citizens aren't we supposed to vote?

Second, following up on the speech thread, I think folks need to take a step back and remember the purpose of political speeches on the stump in this day and age. Ever since Kennedy (okay, really since Lincoln) stump speeches have been about energizing voters to go to the polls not about laying out the nitty gritty of actual operational positions. That's what campaign literature and Web sites are for.

Your thoughts?

Marc Fisher: Right, and too often Clinton's speeches remind me of her husband's State of the Union addresses--laundry lists of policy initiatives that would make any non-wonk's eyes glaze over.

The Potomac Primary is suddenly important because Super Tuesday turned out not to be disposition--except perhaps on the Republican side, if Romney is indeed now out. Yes, everyone's vote always counts, but in states that hold primaries after the nominee is clear, those votes are as close to meaningless as they come.

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NW, D.C.: As a black, I am concerned about Obama and the Latino vote. As a black I don't see him pandering for my vote via black issues. Really his backbone support is anything but traditional black as the civil rights era folks support Clinton. Why have the other minority groups not come on board?

Marc Fisher: Obama has far stronger support from white voters than from Latinos, a reflection perhaps of the longstanding and deep competition and sometimes resentments between those two minority groups. In some parts of the country, that animosity is harsher and deeper than in others, but overall, we're seeing it expressed in this election. A couple of Hispanic political strategists I know add this factor: They say there's a greater regard for age and experience among Latino voters, which would play to Clinton's favor.

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If the Mitt fits: If Romney's suspending his campaign, do you think he's deciding he's a moderate and try to be the Democratic VP nominee?

Marc Fisher: Ha! There's your ticket--Obama-Romney. Could win Massachusetts even.

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Arlington, Va.: For primary purposes: I don't care if Obama is a little vague at this point, I (lifelong Democrat) will simply not vote for Hillary Clinton, no matter what. Sick of the baggage, sick of the self- absorption of both Clintons, if it's a McCain-Clinton election, I will vote for myself or my wife or stay home.

Obama will have a tough road if/once nominated but I am firmly convinced of the complete incompetence of the Democrats at this point and McCain can definitely beat Hillary Clinton; I am less sure he can beat Obama.

Marc Fisher: A number of polls published last weekend reflected your viewpoint, showing Obama beating McCain, but Clinton losing to him. I've been surprised that Obama hasn't made more of the electability issue, as Clinton, whatever you might think of her, is among the more loathed figures in American life over the past decades.

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Wishful thinking?: I see Clinton as carrying many liabilities -- she'll inherit Ted Kennedy's role as the conservatives' Demon in Chief until five years after she's dead.

I do wonder whether Obama is a kind of Rorschach candidate. People fed up with an endless stream of political mediocrities are desperate for something different. To me, the cranky or hyperlogical desperate have latched on to Ron Paul; the remaining 90 percent are gravitating to Obama.

That's not to say he's a mirage; it's just my unease that there isn't as much there there as people think/hope/wish.

Marc Fisher: That's a legitimate and widely held concern. And you can see him struggling with that, adding in a bunch of policy lines in his speech Tuesday night--easing off the soaring rhetoric, but not too much, because after all, that's what got him to this point.

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Follow on to: Really stupid question: How do you know what you're registered in Va.? I thought I chose at one point, but I have wanted to change it and haven't seen it on any of my voter registration info. Then someone told me that you don't register for a party in Va., is that true? I am very confused. Thank you for any insight! I also love that these are anonymous.

Marc Fisher: There is no party registration in Virginia. When you arrive at the polls, you decide which primary you care to vote in and you get that ballot. It's a freewheeling, open primary and you get to redefine yourself at will.

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Richmond, Va.: I predict the Va. dems will go for Obama. Many state leaders have come out for Obama, and I can't for the life of me recall a state Dem who's come our for Hillary. Va. Dems have long memories and I don't think they felt the Clintons were too friendly to us in the past. I don't know of anyone with any sense of obligation them and that's in a state of the good ole yellow dog buddy system.

Marc Fisher: Sounds right, and add in those Edwards supporters who were motivated in part by their dislike of Clinton. Virginia hasn't had a competitive and meaningful Democratic presidential primary in a long time, but the state that chose Doug Wilder for governor and gave strong support to Jesse Jackson's presidential bid seems like fertile ground for Obama.

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Ft. Washington, Md.: I think Barry's endorsement is very positive for Obama. Even though he's winning the black vote there are some corners of the city that are distrustful of him and Barry's support may break down those barriers. Barry is a horrible man? He may be a define political opportunist but calling him horrible and corrupt is a bit of a stretch. I don't see how Barry's endorsement hurts Obama.

Marc Fisher: There are probably places where the hatred of Barry is so powerful that his blessing sends people running in the opposite direction, but most of those places would be well outside the District of Columbia, so I agree--no discernible backlash to the Barry endorsement.

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Tysons Corner, Va.: To Arlington -- no need to slink away. I had a friend of mine ask me the very same question about whether she needed to register specifically for the Va., primary. At least Arlington didn't try to vote last Tuesday. That would be "slink away" worthy.

Marc Fisher: Yes, I'd like to believe that that phenomenon reflects people's eagerness to join in the democratic process, but more likely, it's just plain old ignorance of the primary calendar.

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D..: Marc,

If Al Wynn goes down, could Jim Moran be targeted next? Eerily similar pro-corporate voting records and each has obvious baggage.

Marc Fisher: Right, but both have strong political organizations and both work their districts hard. That's more true of Moran, who is a constant presence in his communities. Wynn is vulnerable on the staying-in-touch piece, and Edwards' campaign is hitting hard on Wynn's trips out of the country and his cozy relationships with lobbyists and their checkbooks. But both Moran and Wynn do a good job of playing the game of 'I may be a rascal, but I'm your rascal and I bring you the goodies.'

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Don't forget about Dave Mudcat Sanders in Va.: Marc,

If anyone thinks that Hillary's going to win Va., they better not forget about Dave Mudcat Sanders, who helped Mark Warner and Jim Webb win statewide. He was working for Edwards, but when Edwards dropped out, he said that he was devoting his time to making sure that Hillary would not be the nominee (his words not mine).

Marc Fisher: Mudcat, the genius behind Mark Warner's campaign for governor, is a remarkable figure and a great strategist, but as you say, he's spent most of his time of late working for Edwards and he just hasn't had time to have much impact since the field has narrowed.

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Arlington, Va.: Marc,

What are the details of Hillary's appearance this afternoon in Arlington? If we wanted to go see her, would we be able to?

Marc Fisher: It doesn't sound like there will be much public access. The word from the campaign is that it's an event for students at Washington-Lee High School and these things tend to fill up hours in advance.

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Arlington, Va.: As a Republican, I will not vote for Hillary. Under any circumstances. I won't even stay home as a protest vote, even if the Republican Veep nominee is someone who believes that the Earth is 9,000 years old.

With Obama, I become infinitely more flexible.

Marc Fisher: Flexible as in you'd vote for him? I'm not sure he draws any appreciable number of Republicans, but his big appeal would be to independents looking for a big change from the Bush era.

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Gender divide. . .: the statistic I'm wondering about it the breakdown of women voting for Hillary by age. My sense is that younger women fell less compelled to vote for Hillary based upon her being a woman. One poster on the Wiengarten discussion said she really wanted to vote for Obama but she felt like she had to vote for Hillary. I wonder how prevalent that feeling is.

Marc Fisher: Age is a big factor in looking at the gender split. There's an analysis out from a university--I think Rutgers--that shows it's older women who are the backbone of Clinton's support, while young women are very much split.

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Bethesda, Md.: I can't vote in Maryland's primary due to my "independent" status but I was reading the about.com page on Baltimore and found this statement on voting in Maryland. It's under the Poll Hours and Rules section

"In Maryland bars and liquor stores remain open on Election Day, and children are permitted inside the voting booth."

So for all the drunks in Maryland you can get plastered at your local bar before you head to the polls and if you can't see you can just have your kid pull the lever for you.

I love my state!

Marc Fisher: I'm agnostic on bars being open on Election Day--why shouldn't they be?--but I'm a huge advocate of letting kids into the booth with parents. It was always one of my favorite moments as a kid, and my kids look forward to it every year. It's a great way to build civic involvement, especially since schools now generally do so little in that department.

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Alexandria, Va.: Does one vote in the primary at the same polling location as one did for the November presidential election three years ago? If not, how does one go about finding out where to vote.

-Eager to join in the primary vote.

Marc Fisher: Indeed, yes--with rare exceptions, your primary polling place is your general election polling place. Your local board of elections has a complete list on its web site, or give them a call--they can type in your address and send you to the right place.

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Admission price to the Newseum: The Style section says general admission when it opens in April will be $20 for adults. The old Newseum was in Arlington across from the old USA Today Building in Rosslyn, and it was FREE.

I can see myself going to their new museum ONCE. That's it. I went to their old location several times when it was free.

Marc Fisher: Charging admission is such a tough thing for any Washington museum to do given that the Smithsonian and the National Gallery are free. But the new generation of entertainment museums--spawned by the success of the Spy Museum--seems to have no problem getting away with hefty admission charges. That's good for the city, and really, there's no other city that had our tradition of free admissions. The Newseum has to pay for its enormously expensive new building on very pricey land adjacent to the Mall. And the big media companies that supported the original museum are in hard times now, so corporate support is not what was originally anticipated when the plans were drawn for the move from Rosslyn to the District.

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Taxi Strike: Hi, Marc. I was a taxi driver/bartender/all those good things when a college student back in the 60's, and I can tell you we LOVED the zone system. We could charge what we wanted, report half our income (all those $.15 tips on $8 fares!) and generally live much higher on the hog than would have been possible with meters. Now in my '60s, I feel sort of bad about having ripped off all those people, even if for a good cause (my college degree). Trust me, meters are the way to go, and you'll still be able to under-report your tips! The fact that every other city in the universe has adopted them should tell you something.

Marc Fisher: Yes, and every other city's taxis are controlled by fleet owners--we had a different economic model and that is now changing. It will have good and bad results.

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Washington, D.C.: Is my husband the only D.C. taxi driver who welcomes the change to meters? He says he will absolutely make more money, since sitting in rush hour will no longer cost him dollars. And, since few passengers understand the zone system, they think he is ripping them off even when he's not. Not to mention the rush hour surcharge, gas surcharge, bad weather surcharge... But let the strikes, or more accurately work stoppages, continue. He made a ton of money during the last one and goodness knows we can use it, which is why we're anxiously awaiting the onset of meters!

Marc Fisher: Honest cabbies--those who reported all the cash they took in under the unmetered system--may well make more money, if they stay independent. But most cabbies I meet regret the loss of the zones because prices will rise and they think the average casual passenger just taking a quick hop downtown will now think twice about getting into a taxi.

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Washington, D.C.: Who won New Mexico?

Marc Fisher: Clinton is up 49-48 in the latest numbers I'm seeing.

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Maryland FYI: Marc, you may know this, but your readers may not: Maryland DOES register by party. (I am a former election judge.)

You can't vote in the Democratic primary unless you're a registered Democrat; ditto for the Republicans.

It's too late to change registration before the primary. Once the primary's over, you can. Registration doesn't matter for the general election (everybody gets the same ballot); it's really only meaningful for primaries.

The electronic poll books show your current registration. If you're a registered Republican and show up at the polling place, you get the Republican primary ballot.

Marc Fisher: Correct--and the same is true in the District.

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Washington, D.C.: As a minority woman in a very dominated male career field, I totally empathize with Clinton. She is overly criticized at every turn -- how many times did we hear the cookie comment in the 90s when in reality a LOT of women don't bake. And her choice to stay with Bill was objectionable by so many; I think people disliked her more for her choice than him for the act itself. It's a cruel double-standard that few women can stand against, and those who do usually look worse for it, and she is no exception.

But...because I am a woman in a male-dominated field that unfortunately has very few female role models, I can't help but to pull for her. Assuming that she and Obama hold (approximately) similar views on the big topics, I feel comfortable saying that one of the main reasons I support her is because she's female. That female-centric mindset is contrary to conventional socialization, but I think it's time to move the bar a little.

Marc Fisher: Thanks--I hear that argument quite often, and I admit I am totally puzzled by it. I could see taking great pride in a woman who rose up of her own accord to become a leader in politics, business, the arts, whatever. But I just don't get taking pride in someone who rode her husband's coattails up to a position of power and influence. How can women who have struggled to win a place at the table be proud of supporting someone whose claim to experience rests on having been the wife of a president?

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RE: Where to vote: Thanks Marc! The Virginia voter information site was easy to navigate, easy to find what I needed and easy to enter in my address, etc., and get information on where I need to vote. Felt a little empowering even.

washingtonpost.com: Virginia Easy Voter Guide (pdf)

Marc Fisher: We're here to serve. Or something like that.

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Letting kids into the booth:"It's a great way to build civic involvement, especially since schools now generally do so little in that department."

True. And it's also a way to ensure that everyone can vote, even single parents or married parents with odd work schedules who can't always find a babysitter for that time.

Marc Fisher: Good point.

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SE, D.C.: I thought the Gore-Bush election showed how divided this country is, this primary season has doubled my concerns. What are folks saying about that aspect?

Marc Fisher: Well, I don't think this is anything like that divide. A large number of those who feel strongly in favor of Clinton or Obama would reasonably happily support whichever is the nominee. Yes, there'd be some bleed-off of support from the Dems if the nominee is Clinton--she's just that widely loathed--but this competition is in good part a debate over style and concept of the presidency. Those who view the president as a manager and a hands-on policy developer tend toward Clinton while those who believe that a president's primary power is that of persuasion--of the people, the Congress, and the other major institutions in society--tend toward Obama.

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M Street NW, Washington, D.C.: RE: Admission Fees.

But spies are cool, the news, not so much. But, seriously, does the Newseum offer a similar "experience" as the Spy Museum? I find it hard to imagine having a $20 experience at a museum about news.

Marc Fisher: From what I've seen--and full disclosure, I did some consulting for the Newseum on its radio history section--this will very much be an experiential museum, with all sorts of stuff to do and play with, as well as see and read. There's a ton of wiz-bang stuff in there. We shall see soon enough.

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Arlington, Va.: Well who put a gun to the head of the Newseum board and forced them to build an "enormously expensive new building on very pricey land adjacent to the Mall?" The Spy Museum has a natural tourist appeal, but (no offense) who is going to pay $20 for a museum of journalism? What's next, a lobbyist museum?

Marc Fisher: Ouch. Well, the old Newseum in Rosslyn did exceedingly well, so there's an audience for this, even if you're not in it.

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Washington, D.C.: In case you're keeping score, I'm another life-long Democrat who'd vote for McCain over Clinton. The person from Arlington already listed some of my reasons, and I'd add another: I just can't stand the idea of the presidency being held by two families for almost 25 years, if she were to serve 2 terms. In truth, I just wish the Clintons would just go away -- both of them.

Marc Fisher: I do hear more and more anti-dynasty comments, but most often, that doesn't seem to rise to a level of being the determining factor in folks' votes.

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I'm a feminist from way back: Back when we weren't afraid to call ourselves feminists. (OT, I cringe when I hear a young woman say "I believe in equality, but I'm not a feminist") BUT, I think voting for Hillary JUST because she's a woman is just as bigoted as a traditionalist voting for McCain just because he's a man.

Hillary is a back-climber, not a consensus-builder.

Marc Fisher: I have to agree there. But of course that appeals to many folks who are so angry about the past eight years that they reject the idea of a compromiser or uniter.

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Obama's a uniter not a divider?: How can the most liberal senator (voted by National Journal) be a uniter with the other party? Look, the Dems fell in a swoon over Kerry, claiming he was the most electable candidate. Yet he too was voted by N.J. as the most liberal senator the year before the 2004 election. There are some eerie similarities here. Oh well, it's not like history ever repeats itself, right?

Marc Fisher: I think Obama has far greater rhetorical and personal appeal than Kerry, who was always rather aloof. I never understood how Kerry managed to pitch himself as the electable candidate.

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Falls Church, Va.: Re: kids in the booth. For me, voting tends to involve covering my eyes with one hand and stabbing blindly at the screen with the other. Not sure I'd want my kids to see that.

Marc Fisher: You could let them write in their friends or favorite fictional characters. My kids used to love doing that when it came time to vote against our non-voting delegate to Congress.

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Washington, D.C.: just a dorky comment - I cry every time I vote. Not because of the choices before me -- but because I can. I remember very vividly the pictures of South Africans standing line for TWO DAYS in the hot sun just so they could vote for the first time. Gets me every time.

Marc Fisher: Not dorky in the least. It sends me every time too. One of the most memorable days in my life was the day I spent walking to the polls with East Germans who were taking part in their first meaningful and open election of their lives--I could never feel cynical about voting again after that.

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Washington, D.C.: Re Marc's comment about Clinton rising with her husband: Thank you for that. I am tired of people acting as if Hillary Clinton were an American Margaret Thatcher, albeit of a different political persuasion. Thatcher, by raw smarts and skill, made it to the top of the oldest, most male-dominated political party in the world. If women want a role model, look to Maggie, not Hillary.

Marc Fisher: Thank you.

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RE: Lincoln and FDR made heavy use of poetic imagery : As a student of American history, it always pains me to see contemporary politicians compared to Lincoln. Please don't. Lincoln was in a class by himself.

Marc Fisher: I'm not comparing Obama to Lincoln--I'm noting that many of our most successful presidents interpreted the office as one in which the art of persuasion is more important than an ability to formulate policy.

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Rockville, Md.:"They think the average casual passenger just taking a quick hop downtown will now think twice about getting into a taxi."

How else will they take the quick hop downtown?

Metro (train) -- likely delays and lots of walking.

Metro (bus) -- if they are that casual, they have NO clue about bus routes.

Drive -- parking availability and fees. Plus the time to get your car out of the garages.

Only other option is taxi.

Marc Fisher: They're talking about the short hops from one downtown destination to another, and there are two strong alternatives to sitting in a cab where the meter ticks with every passing minute in traffic--the downtown Circulator buses and walking.

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Anonymous: Remember the heated discussion about whether Obama, with one white and one black parent, was black, white or both? I see on today¿s Media Watch column that some actually have started referring to him as multiracial. Doonesbury¿s strip still refers to him as black. Marion Barry¿s endorsement is worth nothing, but most of what Barry does is worth the same.

Marc Fisher: Multiracial seems more accurate. The fact that the term isn't more widely used tells us a lot about how stuck we are in constructs that limit and divide us.

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Fairfax, Va.: Do you think Romney dropping out will impact the Democratic race in Virginia? Will Romney voters cross over and vote for Obama (or against Hillary)?

Marc Fisher: Some will, but the studies I've read looking at crossover voting in Virginia say that that really doesn't happen to any great degree.

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The old Newseum in Rosslyn did exceedingly well: Right, but it wasn't $20. I've been to the Spy Museum, and Newseum, you're no Spy Museum.

It's particularly sad to see a museum based on INFORMATION --the power of information to engage people, to raise them -- charge elitist prices.

Marc Fisher:$20 admission fees for museums rub me the wrong way too, but when I stop to think that that's only twice what a movie costs, I feel a bit better about it.

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Arlington, Va.: In Paul Kane's chat this morning, he out and out stated it's mathematically impossible for Clinton or Obama to get enough delegates. The Superdelegates will decide this nomination. Thoughts?

washingtonpost.com: Post Politics: Paul Kane ( washingtonpost.com, Feb. 7)

Marc Fisher: I've been thinking that for a few days now, and if that's the case, it would be hard to beat Clinton, I would think. And then you'd get into the whole ugly question of what to do about the Michigan and Florida delegates who were excluded as punishment for their states holding early primaries.

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Warrenton, Va.: Hey Marc, do you know if my working herding dogs qualifies as occupants in Va., regarding HOV restriction on I 66. Last year my two collies had combined incomes from herding of approx $120K.

Marc Fisher: Go for it--but only if you're going to document the encounter with the cops and let us see the whole shebang.

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Washington, D.C. : May I respectively request that all Nationals' fans who've expressed fear about walking through my neighborhood on the way to and from the stadium to please relax? I live in the only residential building not exclusively for senior citizens or Marines in Near Southeast (though we prefer South of Capitol Hill or SoChill). I do not have a car and walk everywhere unless I'm taking the Metro out to the hinterlands on the weekends. I am a single, 30-something, white female and have never had even one reservation about walking by myself to and from my building at any time of day or night. My neighborhood certainly isn't crime-free, but I feel just as secure there and am probably statistically safer than when I lived in Dupont Circle or Penn Quarter. And it's not the prettiest part of the city right now, but it's an exciting and friendly place to live.

I realize that most of those who've expressed concern have never been in that area. So let me assure you that you are not guaranteed a violent death if you venture into my 'hood. Just whatever you do -- do not drive. There will be nowhere to park. Of that I can assure you.

Marc Fisher: Nicely said, but I guarantee you folks will drive anyway. Nature of the beast. It will take some weeks for people to realize that there are better ways to get to the ballpark. And who knows, some people may find some cool secret parking spaces. I know I'll try to.

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Arlington, Va.: With Nats pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training next week, how about an update on the stadium? How are the Metro station upgrades coming along? Has anyone figured out a reasonable parking plan -- shuttles from RFK don't count!

Marc Fisher: Check out this week's edition of Raw Fisher Radio right here on this web site and you'll hear exactly that--deputy mayor Neil Albert was our guest and he provided just that update.

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Marc Fisher: That has to end our lovely sojourn for this afternoon. Thanks for coming along. The blog will provide updates on the primary doings throughout the week and I'll be on the site Tuesday night with results, analysis and your comments. Should be interesting.

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