HALPERIN'S TAKE: The Cards The (Likely) Final Four Hold Heading into Super Tuesday

by Mark Halperin

The presidential field gets  smaller Wednesday with both John Edwards and Rudy Giuliani exiting the race. Though a few other candidates like Mike Gravel, Ron Paul and Iowa-winner Mike Huckabee remain, the realistic possibilities of who will be the next president has now dropped to four.

As John McCain, Mitt Romney, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama continue slugging it out for their parties' nominations, here's what each has going for him/her:

McCain:

1. His national security credentials.

2. The media is (cozily) on his side.

3. Experience.

4. Open primaries.

5. His Florida win.

Romney:

1. His (still vast) bank account.

2. Virulently anti-McCain Republicans who will champion him by default in a one-on-one race.

3. The rising salience of the economic issue and his crisp CEO argument.

4. Talk radio.

5. Vigor and acute drive.

Clinton:

1. New York, California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio, and Texas.

2. A sustained national polling lead.

3. Closed primaries in which only Democrats vote.

4. Perceived experience.

5. White, Hispanic, and low-income voters.

Obama:

1. "Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton" will never sound like change.

2. The media is (passionately) on his side.

3. Maryland, Virginia, Wisconsin, and caucus states.

4. Internet money.

5. A loyal, ardent, focused staff and Ted Kennedy.