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In some ways, it can be pretty simple: win or lose, it's always positive.

Our brother bloggers at TVNewser will be live blogging tonight's results for all you political junkies out there.

Exit polls already tell us both sides are suffering a bit from going negative: "Two-thirds of Pennsylvania voters in preliminary exit poll results say Clinton attacked Obama unfairly; fewer, but still about half, also say Obama unfairly attacked Clinton."

Like Peter Himler, we unfortunately are not surprised by the NYTimes' A1 story from yesterday, exposing just how far the Pentagon has gone to book former military officials on network and cable news shows, in order to control the news and influence war coverage.

As the Times reports, the former military officials are not in the least independent:

The effort, which began with the buildup to the Iraq war and continues to this day, has sought to exploit ideological and military allegiances, and also a powerful financial dynamic: Most of the analysts have ties to military contractors vested in the very war policies they are asked to assess on air.

Being in PR, we know how important disclosure is, even if our industry is often faulted for not practicing it.

In this case, some are already showing remorse:

A few expressed regret for participating in what they regarded as an effort to dupe the American public with propaganda dressed as independent military analysis.

"It was them saying, 'We need to stick our hands up your back and move your mouth for you,'" Robert S. Bevelacqua, a retired Green Beret and former Fox News analyst, said.

TVNewser has a round up of how the networks are covering the news.

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WPP Group, parent company of Burson-Marsteller has confirmed that Mark Penn will remain CEO of the global PR agency, PRWeek reports.

Howard Paster, EVP of WPP, said Penn's biggest mistake was the in person meeting with Colombian officials. "If he'd not gone to the embassy, there would have been an appropriate fire wall between him and the client," Paster said. "I think that the error he made was with respect to both the client and the campaign, frankly, because the client got negative publicity - which you never want to do for a client - and it caused the campaign another political problem."

Meanwhile, Barack Obama today told the Wall Street Journal: "Let me put it this way. I'm not surprised that Sen. Clinton found herself in an uncomfortable position...And I know that if staff of mine were in that kind of position, I would get rid of them."

Burson Marsteller CEO and top Clinton stategist Mark Penn stepped aside on Sunday after news that he lobbied for a free trade treaty with Colombia that Clinton opposes.

The WSJ broke the story on Friday.

Washington Post: Penn apologized for the March 31 meeting with the Colombian envoy, which he said was held in his separate role as CEO of Burson-Marsteller Worldwide, a lobbying firm hired by Colombia to promote a U.S. trade deal with the South American country.

The news is bad all around for Burson, as they also lost the Colombia government account.

Keith O'Brien penned the PRWeek story, citing an AP report that the Clinton campaign has compensated Penn, Schoen & Berland -- Penn's consulting firm -- $10.8 million since the start of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Mike Bush, former PRWeek writer now at AdAge, has a big feature on Penn that was published today. Good timing!

A veteran of the global agency world told PRNewser, "one would be surprised by the notorious client names on most of the big agencies' rosters."

Politico recently ran a feature on Melissa Shuffield, Press Secretary for John McCain.

According to writer Amie Parnes: "While Jill Hazelbaker, the McCain campaign's communications director, handles campaign-related inquiries, Shuffield has become the go-to girl back in Washington because - even in his absence - she knows exactly what her boss would say."

As one would expect, repping a presidential candidate is not for the light of heart: "I had these nightmare visions of him [McCain] being mobbed by the press corps," Shuffield said.

Hat tip: Potomac Flacks.

If you're not convinced David & Michelle Paterson handled their particular sex bomb perfectly, take a look at The New York Times Metro B1 today. The story is a glowing lets-move-on with the pull-quote: "On both sides of the aisle support for a new governor's ability to lead." When asked if this scandal would affect Paterson's ability to lead, Senate Majority Joe Bruno was twice quoted "Not in any way."

PRNewser contacted a few experts with experience in scandals, including Lanny Davis, former special council to President Clinton and author of "Truth to Tell" and the more recent "Scandal: How 'Gotcha' Politics is Destroying America." Davis--a staunch Hillary supporter--confirmed our apples to oranges, to the McGreevy's pineapples thesis:

It is tragic that it was even necessary for Governor Paterson to do this. Recent events, a growing scandal culture and "gotcha" politics have created a cauldron of scrutiny. Against that backdrop, the Governor showed fortitude and class - and so did his wife.

Davis is currently Partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP.

(David Paterson, sworn in as Governor of New York on his family bible)

In a well-played hand of crisis communications, New York Governor David Paterson and his wife Michelle gave the exclusive account of their marital problems to the Daily News.

Details can be found in the news story, and the Juan Gonzalez column.

In the Gonzales column, details of his affair seem tame when compared with Spitzergate and the McGreevy's Friday Night Special threesomes, such as the use of a local Days Inn, and that Paterson took the subway to get there.

The Patersons' self-bomb was smaller than if they waited till an enemy in Albany dropped it. More on the PR aspects of Spitzer, Kristen, the Patersons and the McGreevys--and possible impact on the Presidential--to come as they develop.

According to a New York Times scoop, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has been caught in a federal wiretap investigation of a high-priced prostitution ring. He just gave a press conference, where he apologized but did not suggest he would retire.

More info on the PR aspects as they become available.

Spitzer's has many enemies from his time as AG, and his rocky first year in office. We expect there will be much more on this in the coming days. We have to wonder if the media or investigators will connect Spitzer's habit with state funds. Apparently prostitutes range from $1000 to $3300 per hour.

I caught some the words live:

I want to briefly address a private matter.

I have acted in a way that violates the obligations to my family, and violates my, or any sense of right or wrong.

I apologize first and most importantly to my family. I appologize to the public whom I promised better.

Violates my obligation to my family. I apologize to the public for not fulfilling my promise. I do not believe politics is about individuals but about ideas, the public good, and doing what is best for the State of New York. I must dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family.

I will not be taking questions.

UPDATE: Full text of the statement on the NY.gov site.

I marveled The Times and their choice of photos of politicians once before. While enjoying a story in the National section earlier today, the above again caught my eye. A guy standing at a dais, with twelve people aside of him, most gazing in his direction.

Amazing similarity to another famous gathering of followers. There's no PR hook here, just a curiosity while Obama v. Clinton continues on numerous stages.

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Hillary Clinton's Chief Strategist, and Burson-Marsteller CEO Mark Penn recently published his latest book, Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Today's Big Changes. As the Clinton campaign faces an uphill battle after 10 straight primary losses, some are claiming that Penn ironically is facing a "macrotrend" in Barack Obama.

MWW Group's Michael Kempner writes:

First, this election wasn't about the "microtrends" pushed by Clinton Senior Strategist Mark Penn, it was about the "macrotrends" understood by Obama Strategist David Axelrod. It was also about good old fashion political organizing...so far, the Clinton campaign has run a top down campaign, relying on name recognition and a belief in an entitlement to the nomination, while Obama has run a bottom up campaign, capturing the grass roots and motivating them like no other in my lifetime.

Is Barack Obama a macrotrend?

Ross Douthat of the Atlantic seems to think so: "I know that Mark Penn is a rich target these days, and deservedly so - but still, you have to feel at least somewhat bad for a guy who writes an entire book arguing that "the era of big trends is over," only to run smack into, well, something of a macro-trend in the most important campaign of his life."

The momentum is certainly in Obama's court, but PRNewser is wary of counting our chickens before they hatch. If Clinton somehow makes up the 100 or so delegate gap, will Penn be saying, "I told you so," to those now calling him out?