I guess I should get out of the prediction business. I expected a very close race in Florida, with a very narrow victory for Romney. Instead, John McCain wins the battle by almost 100,000 votes. A five point win, 36%-31%. Meanwhile, I got it at least half right (as did everyone else) when I predicted a Clinton victory.

A couple of observations.

First, this means John McCain has the clearest path to the Republican nomination. Dick Morris has some thoughts on why that is true. As for me, it simply boils down to a few truths. McCain's string of wins is giving him the momentum that is pushing him into the lead in the state polls in the Super Duper Tuesday states. If Giuliani exits today and endorses McCain, as expected, then he will no longer have anyone else in the race to compete for independents, liberals and moderates who want to vote in open GOP primaries. If Huckabee stays in, as expected, then Romney will have to compete with the former Arkansas Governor for evangelicals and conservatives, especially in the South. Jay Cost has some analysis of the Florida results that should prove sobering reading for the Romney folks. As Morris says, "McCain can win, Romney can't".

Second, on the Democratic side, Clinton will go into Super Duper Tuesday having blunted, to some extent, Obama's momentum gained by his huge South Carolina victory and the endorsement of the Kennedys.

It still looks to me, as it did a year ago, that it will be Clinton vs. McCain in November.