Oh, it's been a really depressing week. I for one wouldn't mind taking a week off from election satire.

Huh? I think I missed something by not attending to every bit of election minutiae.

Miko, for me, it's been an encouraging week, with growing evidence that the converted GOP election-steeling-by-voter-suppression efforts aren't going to work. When the McCain campaign withdrew from Colorado, where reports say - and Republican officials deny - some of the most concerted efforts at 'cleaning' the voter roles was happening, I saw that as a major sign.

Of course, I won't believe any of it's for real until Bush & Cheney actually vacate the White House. I still see a 50/50 chance of them declaring an election-neutering state of emergency, because it's hard to imagine anybody who has worked so hard for 8 years to accumulate so much power (recently topped off by nationalizing banks) just giving it up to somebody who won't continue your lead?

But then, it's all just election minutiae. Just another American Idol competition.

I still see a 50/50 chance of them declaring an election-neutering state of emergency

wendell, if you sincerely believe that, it might be time to take a little break from the 24-7 news cycle. Go outside. Listen to some music. Enjoy the scenery. Have a beer at a local tavern.

It'll give you a little bit of perspective on all of this.

And it'll be fun too.

I'm having plenty of non-politically-related fun. I was consciously keeping my political interest under 1.5 hours of my daily time budget (actually cutting off some MeFi ElectionFilter reading) until the feeling of Schaudenfreude started to make it fun. I don't deny it. It's become my Guilty Pleasure (and I'd argue a more productive one than "Project Runway" obsession).

And if you'd read some of my past comments on Bush/Cheney power grabs at MeFi, you'd know that the 50/50 I quoted was down from a 90% certainty last year. Still, the massive bank buyout AND the change-of-mind not to close Gitmo sound too much like the behavior of despots not planning to leave on Jan. 20th. And I would so much enjoy being proven wrong, but that's still 86 days away.

Paging Tawana Brawley to the white courtesy phone. Miss Brawley, to the white courtesy phone.

I am not sure what I would do with myself if I were not tubed into this election, every waking moment. You mean I used to have a life?

Oh, I feel strongly encouraged by the direction of the election poll results and all that. Absolutely. However, volunteering a lot brings you into contact with some hardcore benighted undecideds and the occasional racist, and that gets depressing. The Ashley Todd story was depressing. The rawest nerves are being exposed, and I've personally had a tiring week.

I refuse to blink. I'm wired for the mission. Um, we Alaskans are tough. Uh...um, moose hunt?

I got nuthin.