'Keep looking. The Straight Talk Express has gotta be under here somewhere...'
-Headline of the day-
"Dem strategists see landslide in the making."
That's right, Democrats are dropping the "L" word. According to the report, "Four large states John McCain once seemed well-positioned to win -- Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio and Florida -- have in recent weeks shifted toward Obama. If Obama were to win those four states -- a scenario that would represent a remarkable turn of events -- he would likely surpass 350 electoral votes."
It gets better. "Under almost any feasible scenario," we're told, "McCain cannot win the presidency if he loses any of those four states." What are the polls saying for these states?
VA - 52% Obama, 45% McCain. NC - 48% Obama, 48% McCain. OH - 49% Obama, 46% McCain. FL - 49% Obama, 45% McCain. No way McCain's taking them all. Meanwhile, the Dow fell below 9,000 for the first time in more than five years.
Still, the presidential race brings in big TV ratings, so let's all pretend McCain stands a chance in hell. (Politico)
-Placing a bad bet-
Right wing talker Hugh Hewitt's been working on a book that will probably never see the light of day. How Sarah Palin Won the Election…and Saved America turns out to be a really bad title. Hewitt's literary agent, Curtis Yates, told a reporter that the plan was to finish the book "by a week after the election, and to have it out before the inauguration." The publisher, not being stupid, has shelved the project.
Instead, Hewitt plans to publish I'm Moving to Dubai with Cheney and Bush, You Tree-Huggin' Commie Bastards! sometime early next year. (Think Progress)
-The light at the end of the tunnel-
The White House is preparing the escape pods for after November. According to the report, "President Bush on Thursday signed an executive order directing his staff to start preparing either John McCain or Barack Obama and their future staffs for the highest office in the land."
And there was a Great Rejoicing across the nation, with cries of "Huzzah!" echoing from every corner.
Bush press secretary Dana Perino -- who always sounded to me like either Alvin or one of the other Chipmunks -- told reporters yesterday that the Presidential Transition Coordinating Council "will help to coordinate efforts already under way to ensure a seamless presidential transition." You'd think the name said that already, but there ya go.
Huzzah! (The Hill)
