John McCain’s announcement that Sarah Palin, a relative unknown on the national political playing field has only served to refuel the controversy and make us all wonder about where the Obama campaign might be if the button has Obama/Clinton on them rather than Obama/Biden.

This is the “Hillary Factor” and its full impact, if any, will not be known until after the General Election.

Bill Clinton met with Barack Obama recently to give further appearance of unity and support. Bill is still biting his lower lip over the crushing defeat of Hillary.

For those of us in left field, we still believe strongly in the “Hillary Factor.” We now also believe in something else…the “Palin Factor.”

No one can get elected without two powerful voting blocks working in their favor: the female vote and the independent vote. The “Hillary Factor” may also be define the “female factor.”

Since then Lieberman has been struggling with who he is and last night he asked the Republican National Convention, “What’s a guy like me doing at a convention like this?” He went on to endorse John McCain, his long time pal on the primary trail.

But what is Joe doing? He was a highly respected Democrat and Senator who became the vice presidential running mate of Al Gore (D, TN). The people of Connecticut started having some second thoughts about Joe and he, sensing impending doom, turned on his Party in a close reelection bid in Connecticut, choosing to run as an Independent.

What’s a guy like Joe Lieberman doing, anyway? Joe is surviving, in the opinion of iVoteAmerica. He’s grabbing coattails and hanging on for dear political life. He’s hoping for a McCain win and the reward that will come with it for supporting John McCain, standing with him on policy and correcting his verbal errors on the campaign trail.

When invited to join the Republican Party, Joe declined, choosing to tag himself an Independent; a tag that enables him to create more waffles than IHOP. Joe’s a player…on both sides of the proverbial fence. He is liberal on social issues, conservative on military matters, a staunch backer of the war on terror and moderate on fiscal management.

To be sure, Joe’s no liberal. But he’s no conservative Republican either. He’s not a Libertarian, nor is he truly a card carrying Independent. Green Party? Forget that one too.

Joe is Joe.

“What’s a guy like me doing…? We don’t know either, Joe?

His endorsement of Barack Obama last night, was sincere and signaled a humble acknowledgement that the torch is going to be passed from the Clintons to Obama on Thursday night.

He was clear and precise, “…vote for Barack Obama…” He was articulate and in complete command of the facts surrounding all of the major national and domestic issues confronting America. He demonstrated the courage of a statesman and the humility that comes to one who has experienced so much.

Whatever motives the right ascribes to him, the fact is, last night Bill Clinton stepped up to the plate and became the largest stand-up politician in our era.

Were their thoughts of humiliation and defeat embedded into his deep soul? Probably. Is he disappointed that Hillary will not be the speaker on Thursday night, the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech? He’s human, of course he is!

If Bill, Hillary and Chelsea jump on the Obama train and stump for him, it’s likely, very likely that Barack Obama will become the next President of the United States.

William Jefferson Clinton could give a speech feigning endorsement of Ronald Reagan and some people would applaud in support. His lip biting (pun intentional) coronation of Obama is necessary, difficult as it was, in order to close the book and set up Hillary for the 2012 election.

All one needed to do was following CNN’s constant panning of the faces of Hillary and Chelsea to get a feel for the dismal frustration they were feeling. One only needed to examine the facial expressions of daughter Chelsea and wife Hillary to know, without doubt, that this was truly one of the most painful political endorsements in recent history, perhaps of all time.

iVoteAmerica suspects this was Bill Clinton’s farewell speech, wrapped in accolades for Obama. We won’t be seeing Bill on the stump…nor Hillary…nor, Chelsea. They’re simply going to be booked through November…end of story.