A newly-released Zogby poll has Hillary Clinton leading among presumed likely Democratic Primary voters in South Carolina:

New York Sen. Hillary Clinton enjoys a solid lead over her top two Democratic rivals among South Carolinians likely to vote in the Democratic primary early next year, a new Barrington Broadcasting/Zogby International telephone poll shows.

Clinton wins 33% support, while Illinois Sen. Barack Obama holds second-place with 26% support. John Edwards, who was born in South Carolina, is close behind in third at 21%. Clinton’s strength stems in part from her following among women, 40% of whom support her, compared to 25% for Obama and 18% for Edwards. The race is much tighter among men, with Obama holding a slight edge at 27%, followed by Edwards at 25% support and Clinton at 24%.

So Hillary leads in South Carolina now, albeit not by any huge margin.  My own thoughts after the break.

I am of course shocked and saddened by the tragedy at Virginia Tech.  It all goes beyond description. My heart goes out to the families who are suffering through this horrible crime.

Naturally, after a crime of this magnitude, people are going to start talking about gun control, pro or con, and how that issue relates to this tragedy.  So far, all the discussion I've read about it seems to have overlooked one glaring detail that separates this case from previous mass shootings, and has perhaps been overlooked in exisiting gun control laws.

What detail is that? Follow me beyond the break.

Third in a series of polls of early primary/caucus states, Zogby has Clinton leading in Nevada by a comfortable margin 'among likely Nevada caucus-goers', followed by Obama and then Edwards.  Link below.

My response to the 'Cattle Call' has grown into a diary-size statement, so I may as well post it as one.

I'm not about to rank candidates based on national poll numbers, as national numbers have nothing to do with how we choose a nominee.  We still have a series of contests in a specific order, and not a national primary.  This is more a prediction of how I expect the race to lay out when it happens, as of right now...

after the break::

I am a habitual radio pirate.  I broadcast radio on the public airwaves illegally, without a broadcasting license.  I break the law.  I am a criminal.  

Or, as I prefer to view myself, a patriot:

"A very few-- as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men-- serve the state with their consciences, and so necessarily resist it for the most part; and they are commonly treated as enemies by it." - Henry David Thoreau

Why do I do it?  Why risk huge fines, possible imprisonment, the confiscation of my equipment, just to enunciate a particular point of view, or maybe entertain my small handful of radio listeners on shortwave or FM?  Well, its a long story...  Read on after the break.