Two Weeks and Counting

It's truly a miracle. Two weeks before the election, gas prices plummet, the President announces he never really meant "staying the course," and our senior military commander and Ambassador in Baghdad introduce a timetable for withdrawal.

A week or so ago, in the midst of the furor regarding a new book published by a former White House staffer of Bush's "Faith Based Initiative Program," there was a brief story many may have missed. The book suggested that the "Faith Based Initiative" was little more than a Republican political ploy to capture Christian Conservative votes. Various Republican operatives jumped on this, without directly contradicting the book's claims. The story, which may have been missed was a statement by the author's former boss in the "Faith Based Initiative" White House Office, who had resigned earlier. I can't recall his name at the moment, but his remark was essentially in support of the book's criticism, to the effect, "everything in this White House is driven by politics; people have no idea." People may be finally getting the idea and the Republican same old, same old may turn a Democratic edge into a Wave.

Most of the Republican last minute desperation moves may only worsen their position in the closing days. Rove needs to be reminded of Lincoln's remark: "You can fool some of the people all of the time; all of the people some of the time; but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."

If Democrats somehow manage to shoot themselves in the foot on election day, the Party will need a thorough overall of its apparatus if they hope to recover for 2008. This would probably mean the end of a Hillary Clinton bid for the Presidency and the turning of the Party toward "new faces," such as Bareck Obama. If Democrats win, look for the Clinton bid to be strengthened and Obama getting a major executive branch appointment under a Clinton Presidency, thus giving him executive experience and grooming him for a subsequent Presidential bid of his own.

If Republicans lose, it will be a clear signal that moderate Republican's need to rid themselves of the radical right that has been running the country for the last six to twelve years. If they win and hold...well...then the old Lincoln adage needs revision.

In any event, look for 2008 to be a battle for the "middle." Voters are weary of polarized politics. Bi-partisan solutions are needed in foreign policy, immigration, health care, social security, education, taxes, etc., etc. And, perhaps, first and foremost, is the need for political reform.