Levin and Kurtz are using the scourge of Maverick to get people motivated about electing a GOP Congress. Super idea, but it ain’t happening with Captain Charisma at the top of the ticket on the other side. Against all odds he appears to have beaten her in the delegate hunt last night; he’s also busted through the Clintons’ race-baiting well enough to take 40% of the white vote even in Deep South states. And so the time has come, my friends, for hard choices. Follow the list of remaining Democratic primaries; the next batch, on the 12th, are closed and look good for Obama, but scroll down there and you’ll find loads of delegates in play next month in Wisconsin, Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, and Indiana — all of which are open. There’s another 188 up for grabs in Pennsylvania, which is closed to Republicans and independents … unless they re-register by March 24th. If McCain puts Mitt and Huck away in the next few weeks, Barry O may have quite a problem on his hands of Republicans with nothing to do crossing over to vote strategically. If he doesn’t, it becomes a question of what’s the highest use of a Republican primary vote from here on out: Trying, probably futilely, to stop Maverick or handing the Democratic nomination to Lady Macbeth? You know what you have to do, cowboys.

Look, she’s having to spend her own money now to stay in contention. Don’t you feel bad? And listen to that cough. She’s suffering. Can’t you feel her suffering?