Medium-rare? No, Medium. My Compliments to the Chef.

OK, so when I made my Dean prediction for the Arizona primary (carefully hedged, but a prediction nonetheless) I didn't know that (a) the Dean campaign would be essentially out of money and (b) they'd stop television ads in all the Feb. 3 states, including Arizona.

The Dean folks here worked early balloting extensively, and people could request and vote their ballots in advance of the post-Iowa free fall, but if Dean is not coming to Arizona, and not advertising in Arizona, and telling people that what really matters are the primaries later in February in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Washington -- well, it looks like I should note that if I get a choice, I'd like my crow prepared by the chef at Los Sombreros, 2534 North Scottsdale Road; can I have the mole, please?

Also, early voting isn't irrevocable. In Arizona, a voter who cast an early ballot but later regrets his or her vote can request another early ballot, or vote a "questioned ballot" or "QB" at the polls. The county recorder will toss the earlier vote and count the last one. Just ask former state Sen. Jay Blanchard, who defeated Jeff Groscost in 2000 despite the alt-fuels controversy exploding after many voters had cast an early ballot.