It's All Over But the Counting

Call me a pessimist, call me a realist, call me premature but I think this election is over.

Early reports from last night's debate support this for me.

I don't know what John McCain can do to turn this thing around. Every time I see him on TV he reminds me of Bob Dole and if you are old enough to remember Bob Dole, he gamely tried to oust then Pres. Clinton from office back in 1996. The score? Try 379 to 159. How about 31 states in the blue column and 19 in the red. Can you spell landslide?

Many of my conservative friends may think I've gone to the dark side. I simply see this as a lost cause. Maybe, just maybe, Palin could have helped to right the sinking ship but since the experts have seen fit to have her attempt to be something she is not (experienced on Foreign Policy to name one) she spends most of her time trying to explain things she doesn't have the knowledge or experience to do. I think she was a great choice, is most likely a great person and would serve our country well but ... a lost opportunity.

Conservatives are often accused of being one issue voters - abortion - which leads - stop and do not pass go - right to the Supreme Court and many will weep and wail over the lost opportunity to have McCain appoint any new justices.

But the reality is, even if any of the oldest and more liberal justices were to retire, the voting make-up of those who confirm would stall or pre-empt most of McCain's candidates and it has not been proven that McCain would appoint justices who would be acceptable in every way to conservatives anyway. That would remain to be seen.

On the other hand Obama will likely get three appointments during his first four years - Stevens is 88, Ginsburg is 75 but not in great health and Breyer is 70. So what if Obama gets to appoint their respective replacements? The overall make-up and balance of the court does not change.

Lewinsky, Travelgate, Vince Foster, Hillary - all notwithstanding - we survived 8 years of Clinton. I'm sure we can survive 4 years of Obama. Sorry 'bout that.