Rubio concedes the possibility of a brokered convention:  Marco Rubio’s campaign manager now admits to ABC  it could be a long slow slog:

“We very easily could be looking at May — or the convention,” [Terry] Sullivan said aboard Rubio’s charter jet from New Hampshire to South Carolina on Wednesday. “I would be surprised if it’s not May or the convention.”

Contra to RedState’s own esteemed writer Streiff, some don’t see the possibility of a brokered convention as being a weakness. At least one camp has planned on the eventuality for a long time.  Ted Cruz has admitted the possibility for months. In August US News said he was  “clearly taking the long view.”

“He’s tapped more organizational leaders in those March states than most other campaigns. He even dispatched an adviser to Guam last week, in a bid for the U.S. territory’s nine delegates. His advisers have contemplated the prospect of a convention fight…”

 Carson’s millions: Dr. Ben Carson has no plans to quit the presidential race anytime soon.

“I’m not getting any pressure from our millions of supporters (to leave the race). I’m getting a lot of pressure to make sure I stay in the race,” Carson told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “The Lead.” “You know, they’re reminding me that I’m here because I responded to their imploring me to get involved. And I respect that and I’m not just going to walk away from the millions of people who are supporting me.”

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Dumping the draft:  Two Republican and two democratic congressman introduced a bill today in the house abolishing the draft.  The Hill notes the group claims it’s outdated and costs a lot:

“The report found the Selective Service System wouldn’t be able to deliver the Pentagon the first inductees within the required 193 days. Also, the system estimated that it would need $465 million to perform a draft. The system’s budget now is about $23 million annually.”

The Great Marijuana Divide: Speaking in SC,  Marco Rubio spoke against the use of recreational marijuana, and as the Washington Times explained, he tied the effects to those much like alcohol abuse.

“And I say, well, because this country already pays a terrible price for the abuse of alcohol,” Mr. Rubio said at a campaign event in South Carolina. “We’re not going to outlaw alcohol. We’re not going to ban it. It’s part of our culture. It’s ingrained in our society — that’s not a realistic proposal.”

Ted Cruz is personally not for it but recognizes the States’ Rights issue, says the Sun Times.

“If it were on the ballot in the state of Texas, I would vote no.”

“But I also believe that’s a legitimate question for the states to make a determination…I think it is appropriate for the federal government to recognize that the citizens of those states have made that decision,”

To be continued…?

• Quickhits: Sanders v Hillary – Tonight’s debate will be on PBS, 9pm ET, and streamed on Youtube.
• Criminal charges have been filed against the producers of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” Harrison Ford broke his leg in June 2014 when hit by a hydraulic door on the set of the Millennium Falcon.
• A South Carolina Poll!!!  We go to the Weekly Standard. “This person is working with an organization—not one of the campaigns.” Info gathered from Wed night in SC.  Trump 32,  Cruz 26, Rubio 20, Bush 10, Carson 7, Kasich 2.
• Many more emails on the way. 500 of Hillary Clinton’s emails are expected to be released by the State Dept. this weekend. But wait,  a federal judge has now ordered “…the Obama administration make two additional batches public before the end of the month.”
• Don’t look at the markets today. When I last checked, Dow down over 300 pts.
• Last Oregon protester peacefully surrenders.  He was taken into custody…. after airing a rambling list of grievances and threatening to commit suicide.”

Today is a two-fer: First, it’s Get Out Your Guitar Day.  It’s also National Shut-in Visitation Day.

Trumpism: Trump held a rally at Clemson University and spoke about the now famous “wall.”

“Guess what, we will build the walls. We’re going to build the walls. Yesterday the top person, the president of Mexico said we will never, ever pay for that wall. You know what I said? I said the wall just got 10 feet higher,” Trump said.

That’s it for today’s Water Cooler –  You can talk about something you read here, or something you read from over there or maybe you just want to leave a thought or two. It’s all good. ‘Cause it’s an Open Thread!

*All emphasis mine.