An overwhelming favorite is a candidate that often comes over to the convention and whelms the delegates. The jobs of delegates is to resent their states. Noncommittal is to be able to talk and talk without saying anything. When the radio mentions a landslide, cross your fingers and hope it is talking about an election. A dark horse is a candidate that the delegates don't know enough about to dislike yet.
Political science is to try to figure out what makes candidates act that way.
When they talk about the most promising presidential candidate, they mean the one who can think of the most things to promise. Elephants and donkeys never fought until politics came along. Political strategy is when you don't let people know you have run out of ideas and keep shouting anyway. A candidate should always renounce his words carefully. We are learning how to make our election results known quicker and quicker.