Political Prognostications from a Pinhead

Hillary is Gone!

The Queen is Dead, Long Live the King(s)!

Now that Obama has been crowned the Democratic standard-bearer, and McCain has made his party's leadership formal, will we get to see more action?

Sparks, flares, real fire!

Yes, and it is already starting with the stupid rumors on the web about Sarah Palin's daughter's pregnancy.

The rumors are stupid, the facts of it, though, are a bit weird for the Republican party.

Sarah, Governor of Alaska, and Running Mate to McCain, has a 17 year old daughter who is pregnant. Sarah is an avid opponent of abortion, which is even more obvious now than it was before we knew about her daughter...but what does this mean?

Sadly, nothing.

Our kids do what they do for their reasons, not ours. The distractions about this issue are simply that; distractions.

There is so much more media noise in this election than ever before, that I think I will finally go ahead and get that lobotomy I have been saving up for.

Obama's wife, Michelle, gave a good speech at the Democratic National Convention, and she seems like a decent person.

The rest of the speeches, including Barack's, were very good of course. His running mate, Joe Biden's, and Joe's son Beau's, were really well done.

I have always thought Biden was a little more real than that average politico. If these two get elected I will have a good chance to find out whether I was right about that or not.

And it seems that every day brings us closer to an Obama presidency.

The Republican Party can't get a break these days. Their convention was stalled and put on hold while the (nearly) non-event called Gustav caused everyone to run for cover.

All the people left at the convention are just praying now, for whatever. Soon I'll have some thoughts on that event as well.

Power was out in the South for over 1 million homes. But it was almost not even a hurricane anymore by the time it reached New Orleans. Still, Bush and Cheney couldn't be at the Convention if the thing was going to hurt the area again.

Even I know that would never do. They had to appear involved and concerned. And so did everyone else, even those just tangentially involved in politics, emergency care, or the media.

For the Republicans it was a Big Bummer in the Big Easy. And so it goes.

Bill and Hillary did what they needed to for their party at the convention, even though many media pundits wondered on air if they would, and how sincere it would be if they actually did it.

I never questioned whether they would or not, but then I think their interests are served by doing so, not just the interests of Obama and the party.

Bill and Hillary are more influential and powerful the more they help the Democratic Party from here on out. She can run again, and she will find much more success next time if they make nice, and Bill will get huge benefits whether she ever gets the Presidency or not. At the very least, he will be able to pick up more chicks. Or become Secretary General of the UN. Or stay roving freelance Goodwill Ambassador. Or something like that.

The race is close now, the media attention more focused than ever before. If anyone makes a single false move it will explode across our TV and computer screens, and yet, it looks like Obama's race to lose.

But I predicted back near the first of this year that when it counts, in the voting booth during the General Election, many of those people who told pollsters they would either vote for the woman or the black man would have a second of indecision, a hesitation, and they would at the last moment cast their vote for the white guy, because that is what they are most comfortable with.

So now, with McCain choosing a woman as his VP, does it change that dynamic?

Probably.

But I have no idea how.

A black guy and a white guy - versus - a white guy and a white woman.

It still could go to the old white guy, but I'm not quite ready to say that's my final answer, Regis.