McCain triumphs in FLA

And word has it that Giuliani will be dropping out.

Which will make me the proud winner of a bet that I accepted from a dear friend who had the misguided idea that Giuliani was going to be the hands-down nominee for the Republicans when we heatedly discussed the race back in September. I think I even mentioned that McCain would probably rise from the dead and get some votes, but even I wouldn't have expected him to be the front runner at this point.

My friend, who shall remain nameless, was SO convinced that Rudy had it in the bag that he dared me to bet him $20 that nobody other than the ex-mayor would be the nominee. I know a sucker bet when I see one, especially when the other guy is the sucker. We shook on it.

Then my buddy kept mouthing off all knowingly about Rudy, which annoyed me to the point that I suggested we double the bet.

He didn't even blink. "Let's make it EIGHTY bucks then!", he said. Knowing that Rudy was a nine-one-one trick pony, I considered it money in the bank. "Agreed", I said.

Over the next couple months, I'd get the occasional voice mail from him, with his premature gloating about what he'd do with the money when I paid him the $80.

Now I wish I'd saved them.

My friend's veneer of hope started to crack a bit after Iowa. New Hampshire put a hurting on his facade as well. In fact, when I ran into him at the Kucinich HQ in Manchester on primary night, he was nearly ready to admit defeat.

Now, I'm not one to simply win a bet without enjoying a reasonable amount of suffering on the part of the loser, so I loftily assured him that Rudy still DID have a chance, and that he didn't have to pay off the bet until the mayor actually dropped out. I told him to keep his spirits up and never give in until the final curtain falls. I clapped him on the shoulder and told him to keep his chin up. You never know what might happen.

And as I walked away, I experienced the true bliss of someone who knows that, not only did he win big, but that he won with the apparent considerable elan of grace and style.

Yes, I am a terrible person.

So, I expect I'll be getting a call sometime tomorrow from my friend. I'll be all magnanimous, and tell him that it was a good bet, one that anyone could have made, I mean, c'mon, WHO could have possibly predicted the McCain surge?

Hee hee hee.