As Mike says, no one seems to want to concede that their candidate is even in the running for the DMR endorsement. While corresponding with one campaign aide last night, I felt like I was more likely to win the endorsement than his boss. One reason, as Mike says, is expectations-setting. I got the impression another reason was that no one wanted to "jinx" something they didn't yet have in hand--or, perhaps less superstitiously, somehow antagonize the Register editorial board by seeming too presumptuous.
Anyway, I just wanted to pass along a couple more data points in the (admittedly long-shot) case for Biden. This comes care of reader RY:
Keep in mind that the Register NEVER picks the winner on the Dems side--never. Influential--yes. A kingmaker--NEVER. Biden is the perfect way to maintain that record--it's almost become too vulgar for them to actually pick a winner. ...
Biden's perfect--it's the "responsible" choice, so responsible it's almost apolitical. ... This year, given the near three-way dead heat, it's going
to be harder than ever to back the winning horse. So pick a guaranteed loser!! Now when the paper doesn't pick the winner, it can claim it was done with full self-knowledge--as a public service.
I agree. Much better to give a nice bump to a second-tier candidate than to try to play king-maker and fail.
Anyway, we'll know any minute now...
--Noam Scheiber