Matt Taibbi and Charlie Pierce on Drumpf, HRC, Tailginner Ted and Bernie.

First, Charles P. Pierce in the aftermath of Stupor Tuesday (bold/underline is Roger's).

At This Point, It's Either the Vulgar Talking Yam or Ted Cruz -- And on the other side, Bernie ought to stick around for a while, by Charles P. Pierce (Esquire)

 ... There is no reason at all for Sanders to drop out now. He raised a spectacular $42 million in February. But the best reason for Sanders to fight this all the way to the convention could be found in one passage in Hillary Rodham Clinton's Super Tuesday speech.

Unfortunately, too many of those with the most wealth and the most power in this country today seem to have forgotten that basic truth about America. Yesterday I was at the old south meeting house in Boston where nearly two and a half centuries ago American patriots organized the original Tea Party. I had to wonder what they would make of corporations that seem to have absolutely no loyalty to the country that gave them so much. What would they say about student loan companies that overcharge young people, struggling to get out of debt, even young men and women serving our country in the military or corporations that shift their headquarters overseas to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. Like Johnson Controls and Auto Parts from Wisconsin, that we taxpayers helped to bail out with the auto rescue back in 2008, now they're turning their back on America. I'm interested this making things right. Let there be no doubt, if you cheat your employees, exploit consumers, pollute our environment or rip off the taxpayers, we're going to hold you accountable.

I do not believe for a moment that she would have said anything of the sort if she hadn't been pressed by the Sanders campaign, and as long as that campaign goes on, the less tenable any pivot toward "the center" by HRC will be.

And, last week, Matt Taibbi on The Donald:

"He might have this thing sewn up before the others even figure out in what order they should quit. It's hard to recall a dumber situation in American presidential politics."

How America Made Donald Trump Unstoppable, by Matt Taibbi (Rolling Stone)

He's no ordinary con man. He's way above average — and the American political system is his easiest mark ever.

Taibbi's assessment of the Trump phenomenon is center of the target, but his greatest achievement may be his characterization of Ted Cruz.

... Psychology Today even ran an article by a neurology professor named Dr. Richard Cytowic about the peculiarly off-putting qualities of Cruz's face. He used a German term, backpfeifengesicht, literally "a face in need of a good punch," to describe Cruz.

This may be overstating things a little. Cruz certainly has an odd face – it looks like someone sewed pieces of a waterlogged Reagan mask together at gunpoint – but it's his tone more than anything that gets you. He speaks slowly and loudly and in the most histrionic language possible, as if he's certain you're too stupid to grasp that he is for freedom.