NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING – AT 10:32 A.M. ET:  That's what the writer William Goldman said about Hollywood.  It could just as easily been said about this election campaign.  "Analysts," and that includes me, do not normally predict the rise of a blowhard New York real-estate developer and reality TV star.  We normally don't put "President" and "Trump" together in the same sentence.  Nor do we confidently predict that an ancient socialist senator from Vermont could challenge the mighty Hillary for the Democratic presidential nomination.

And as for predicting the virtual numbing of the Democratic and Republican national committees, forget about it.  Who saw it coming?  Nobody knows anything.

What we do know is that Super Tuesday is six days away.  There is not much of value to be said between now and then, except for reporting the practice of politics itself.  But next Tuesday may be decisive.  From Chris Stirewalt at Fox:     

...party elders, including former presidents and nominees remain on the sidelines. With less than a week before D-Day, 2012 nominee Mitt Romney, former President George W. Bush and many others have at most offered modest reproofs of Trump even as Republicans have grown increasingly alarmed by Trump’s rhetoric.

And while endorsements have begun to flow in for second-place Sen. Marco Rubio, the kind of large-scale show of party unity in support that could signal to voters the urgency of the moment still seems beyond the horizon.

In a year in which we were told about the power of super PACs and outside money, tens of millions have been squandered to no great effect other than helping Trump. The relative pittance that has been spent against him is so small as to be meaningless. And there is no sign that the cash cavalry is coming in the week ahead.

What would have to be different for Trump to be denied? Focused attacks on Trump from candidates and outside groups as well as fewer candidates. Not all of those things would have to be accomplished in full before March 1, but the party would have to show significant movement in that direction for claims of Rubio’s viability and Trump’s vulnerability to be credible.

That’s a big to-do list for six days, especially for a party that has mostly stood mouth-agape and motionless for most of this cycle.

COMMENT:  Conventional wisdom this morning echoes Stirewalt's well-written analysis.  Something dramatic has to occur to deny Trump the nomination, and it ain't occurring, at least not yet.

There could also be a rethinking by voters in the Super Tuesday states.  But, if anything, rethinking by the public has simply brought greater strength to Trump.  Voting Tuesday.  Be there.

February 24, 2016