How Weird Can Republicans Get?

I continue to follow the Washington state Republican caucus with jaw-dropped amazement: not only did the state Republican Party declare McCain the winner by 250 votes with 1,500 left to count, but now the state party chair is saying he that they won't get around to finishing the count until "some time next week," and he rebuffed a Huckabee campaign request to have their own lawyer present by hanging up on that lawyer, Huckabee's own daughter-in-law.

Apparently, the party chair made his own personal call on the results, despite the numbers, in order to "share" his self-confidence with the caucus goers. So, it was all about him? TPM skewers:

In terms of consequence, Bush v. Gore it ain't. This is a relatively small contest in a nomination campaign that appears to be over. But this is something you'd expect either from Soviet history or a farcical passage in a Faulkner novel. And let's not forget the context. Huckabee starts the day with a blowout win in Kansas. That evening he gets the largest number of votes in Louisiana. Then in the third contest he's neck and neck with John McCain and looks like he may win all three contests of the day -- a shut-out for the all-but-declared nominee. Then as it's going down to the wire, the head of the state party decides he's seen enough and calls it for McCain.

The sign post is up ahead. You've just crossed into the Twilight Zone.