The Dodd "Talk Clock"

The Dodd "Talk Clock" has proven to be the CNN debate's biggest contribution to the format. (it was dreamed up by Dodd staffers Matt Butler and Tim Tagaris.) Not surprisingly, the gizmo shows that the night's winner, in terms of airtime, was Blitzer. Equally unsurprising (though still remarkable in its quantitative form) is just how badly some legitimate, albeit second tier, candidates made out.

I know we're all already tire of this campaign season, but that doesn't make it over. Talking to McCain yesterday, he expressed bafflement at the media's treatment of these non-front runners, GOP and Dem alike: "Someone is going to break through," he said, "they always do."