What's Next For Obama and Clinton?

So where does it stand now for the Democrats after yesterday's primaries in Kentucky and Oregon?  CBS News political analyst Joe Trippi says, "Clinton won handily in Kentucky.  Obama wins handily in Oregon.  And we're right back where we started with, Obama still in the lead, and Clinton vowing to go on."

Indeed...

"You've never given up on me, because you know I'll never give up on you!" says Clinton.

The front page headline in this morning's New York Times announces:  "Obama Grasps Majority in Delegate Race."  But Clinton had an announcement of her own.  She said, "I'm going to keep making our case until we have a nominee, whoever she may be."

Senators Clinton and Obama are now saying only nice things about each other.

"I commend Senator Obama and his supporters..." says Clinton.

"We all admire her courage and her commitment and her perseverance..." says Obama.

But in Iowa last night, Obama said in effect it's all over, "We have returned to Iowa with a majority of delegates elected by the American people.  And you have put us within reach of the Democratic nomination for President of the United States of America."

But Senator Clinton is keeping her own count, and counting on as yet uncounted delegates.

"I'm going on now to campaign in Montana, South Dakota and Puerto Rico.  And I'm going to keep standing up for the voters of Florida and Michigan," says Clinton.

What the Party decides to do about those states could change everything, says Vaughn Ververs of CBSNews.com, "What Hillary Clinton is trying to argue is that these delegates in Michigan and Florida should be seated - and if they are, then that changes the number of delegates needed to win the nomination and that kind of puts it out of Barack Obama's reach."

Can the Democrats Unite on the Political Math?

If, as expected, Barack Obama wins the Democratic Presidential nomination, is there any way he would - in the name of party unity - choose Hillary Clinton as his running mate?  

Barack Obama believes he will be the Democratic Presidential nominee.  But he knows how important it is to keep the party unified to count on Hillary Clinton's supporters too in November.

"Some may see the millions upon millions of votes cast for each of us as evidence that our party's divided.  But I see it as proof that we have never been more energized and united in our desire to take this country in a new direction," says Obama.

Have you noticed how Clinton is talking about Obama now?

"I commend Senator Obama and his supporters.  And while we continue to go toe-to-toe for this nomination, we do see eye-to-eye when it comes to uniting our party to elect a Democratic President in the fall," says Obama.

And how he's talking about her?

"Senator Clinton has shattered myths and broken barriers and changed the America in which my daughters and your daughters will come of age.  And for that, we are grateful to her," says Obama.

Obama might not want to have Clinton as his running mate, as Vaughn Ververs, senior political editor, CBSNews.com says, "Having somebody on the ticket with you who is basically of equal stature - and who happens to be married to the former President of the United States - you know, that's not a very comfortable situation."

The nominee doesn't select the running mate - only asks the convention - and that hall in Denver will be full of Hillary supporters. 

Would the Clintons like living in that other mansion on the grounds of the Naval Observatory?  They might...

Ted Kennedy's Fight

Senator Edward Kennedy, who the doctors now say has a malignant brain tumor, is everybody's thoughts and prayers now - of his senatorial colleagues, not only fellow Democrats like Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

"No one is more prepared to fight and beat it," says Reid.

And John Kerry of Massachusetts, "Every one of us knows what a big heart this fella has.  He's helped millions and millions of people, in so many ways and in so many different times."

But also Republicans, like John Warner of Virginia, "The same strength with which he has spoken so many times in this chamber will be the strength that he draws on, hopefully - and we all pray for his recovery."

Pete Domenici of New Mexico says, "I hope that the Good Lord intends for you to get well, so you can accomplish some more things - and so you and I can have some more arguments."

Says our CBS News colleague Bob Scheiffer in Washington, "Kennedy has been here so long and has been such a presence that he's like one of the monuments.  It's just hard to imagine the Senate or this city without him."

He's been a key player in virtually every piece of domestic legislation, often reaching out to the other party.

"He worked with conservative Republican Bob Dole on significant legislation to help the disabled.  He worked with the even more conservative Orrin Hatch on legislation on children's health issues.  And President Bush's education legislation simply would've gone nowhere without Ted Kennedy's help," says Scheiffer.

Ted Kennedy has had more than his share of sorrow in his life, but he's always seen himself as an optimist.  As he once said in 2006, "The goodness of people is deep.  And that is the source of hope and optimism for the future - it's gonna win out.  I just want to be around when it does.  (laughs)"

Sleepy Brains Face Sudden Shutdowns

A new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience has discovered that if you are deprived of sleep even for one night, it makes the brain prone to sudden shutdowns comparable to an electric power failure. 

They may only last a few seconds, but that may be enough to have serious - even catastrophic - results.

The new study, done by David Dinges and his colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, involved 24 adults who performed simple tasks involving visual attention.  
Each of them did the same tasks when they were well rested and again when they were sleep deprived.  They used a type of brain imaging called fMRI - functional magnetic resonance imaging - to measure blood flow in the brain. 

And the results were pretty dramatic.  There were significant, although momentary lapses in several areas of the brain when people were deprived of sleep that did not occur when they were well rested.  Apparently, the loss of sleep renders the brain incapable of fending off the involuntary drive to sleep, so the blackouts can come at inappropriate moments. 

You may catch yourself most of the time, and force your lids back open.  But since these sleep deprivation lapses are involuntary, you can't will yourself not to have them.  It's as if the lights suddenly go off, and then come back on again.

This is not just of academic interest, says Dinges.  Because  during that period when the lights go off - even if it's for only a few seconds - by the time the lapse is over and the lights go back on, you could have driven the car off the road or into another car, killing yourself and possibly other people, too. 

Inappropriate, to say the least.  Nothing academic about that.  You know that driving while intoxicated is bad news.  This study makes it clear that driving while sleepy is dangerous, too.