By Steve Clemons

Barack Obama has just announced support for a national infrastructure bank — similar to the one that Senators Chris Dodd and Chuck Hagel have been pushing for in Congress.

I don’t think that the Dem race is near over — but it’s wise to seriously consider the lines of attack that John McCain’s team will take against Hillary and/or Obama — both if they are partnered on the final ticket.

In 1988, voter turnout in the primary season hit a then-record of 35 million — 23 million of these were Democratic and 12 million Republican. And we’re not saying “President Dukakis”.

Two of the Maryland Congressional races I was watching last night produced a mixed result. In MD-04, challenger Donna Edwards was trying to unseat Democratic incumbent Al Wynn — and she won.

Obama is genuinely in the lead for the first time in this election. Before the Maryland prediction was announced, analysts have Obama leading Hillary Clinton by 8 delegates when counting both pledged and committed superdelegates. His lead is razor thin, but it is a lead. He has momentum.

(Oakley the Amazing Weimaraner is going to miss his traveling dad) Some folks heart Huckabees — and I heart Weimaraners, particularly Oakley the Amazing Weimaraner and his kid sis Annie.

I have some real concerns about the hype about Barack Obama.

While there are still no knock-out punches on the Dem side, McCain’s slim but take-all-the-delegates win in Virginia gives the McCain tally 60 more pledged delegates for a new total of 789.

I have no idea whether either Obama or Clinton promised to secure real voting rights for residents of the District of Columbia — but if it hasn’t come up, someone better get it on the to do list if a Dem wins the White House.

Mike Boyer over at Foreign Policy Magazine‘s Passport blog just offered a number of sensible reasons why John Bolton probably would not be appointed by a President McCain to serve as Secretary of State. Boyer is right on the whole — though he need not worry about classifying Bolton as a neocon. He is not….