This early (or late?) in the day, when I read the tea leaves at the bottom of my cup, I would have to say that Adel Tamano’s defection as spokesman for President Erap and his un-United Opposition to be with Manny Villar’s Nacionalista Party sounded like a good beginning, pretty much like a silver bell calling everyone to sit down for dinner.

I am no political partisan, not even close to being a neophyte, but why is the NP on a roll where the others seem to be encountering bumps, humps and lumps on the road to 2010? Despite the efforts of fellow senators to scatter 10-inch-long nails along his way, Senator Villar’s ratings stay high, his organization is run like a tight ship, and his followers (would-be party mates) are multiplying. Adel and Gilbert Remulla, recently named to be among the party’s six spokespersons – to spar with Messrs. Ermita, Remonde, Golez and Olivar, and Ms. Fajardo? – would call it Manny’s winnability.

True, everybody loves a winner, but do people love Manny for his money? The senator has never been modest about his ability to fill his war chest, and don’t we just love the way he’s helping us overcome the recession with his TV ads, billboards, giveaways (of house-and-lots, among other things)? Which did we sense first – the cash or the flash of victory in the making? Adel told “Bulong Pulungan” that unlikeable candidates who threw away money did not win, while “poor” ones like Capt. Trillanes had no money to spend.

On the other hand, I’ve heard stories of how certain popular candidates received such gargantuan sums that the donors’ money, unspent during the campaign, now sleeps in a secret room in their homes.

Now that he is no longer speaking for Erap, does Adel think the ex-President may run again? His lawyerly answer: “Until he files his certificate of candidacy, that question cannot be answered. Legal luminaries on both sides have conflicting opinions.”

And this late (or early?) in the day, I have only one opinion of the presidential bets lined up for our consideration. In my innocent opinion, Cynthia Villar is the best candidate for first lady.