The Kerry-Edwards showdown, for what it might be worth, takes one step closer with Wesley Clark's decision to withdraw.

The challenge for Edwards is whether or not he goes negative on Kerry and assumes that he won't be on the ticket in any form.

There haven't been any states Kerry has won so far - with the exception of Iowa - where the combined Edwards/Clark vote would have been sufficient to overhaul Kerry, (in NH Kerry would have won by 25 votes) so even if all of Clark's support now comes to Edwards, he might figure he's still going to run second.

So a "fast and friendly unity" as the Christian Science Monitor puts it, or at least a swift cessation of hostilities, still seems the likeliest outcome.

With Wisconsin approaching, though, try talking to Howard Dean about 'friendly unity'.

Meanwhile, the uncertainty over the president's service in the air national guard, however, rumbles on... just in time for the latest anti-Bush ad from MoveOn.org.