Ellington

Why is everyone so surprised that that President Barack Obama hummed a few surprisingly well-sung notes of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" at a New York City fundraiser last night? After all, his boo, Michelle, just celebrated her 48th birthday a few days ago. And the Al Green song likely remains fresh in his mind after the Obamas no doubt got their celebratory groove on to POTUS' top-secret Quiet Storm mix.

There are other reasons Obama probably feels like he's on a high note: a couple good national jobs reports, his ever-improving approval ratings and the Republican primaries, a contest that has been completely devoid of -- to borrow once again from the good Rev. Green -- love and happiness. Even taking Herman Cain's extramarital dalliances out of the equation, the thing has been downright nasty. Now it looks like Mitt Romney, the guy who everybody thought won the Iowa caucuses and would skate to the nomination, didn't win after all and will have a tougher-than-expected time winning in South Carolina's primary this coming Saturday. If Romney doesn't have decisive victory in South Carolina and goes on to have difficulties wooing conservatives in other southern states like Mississippi, Republicans are in for a protracted nominating process similar to what the Democrats faced in 2008 -- only with a couple of white guys competing for various factions of the party.

With so much GOP chaos with just under 10 months before the general election, I'd be singing too if I were Obama.