What's there to say? Most of you know my position: way to the left, and at this point, seriously cynical. (A cynic is an idealist who's been disappointed one too many times, is all.) I'm for Obama, but truth is I'd have been for whomever the Democrats put up against McCain. Not because I'm a true-blue Democrat, politicians being politicians, but because McCain truly is more of this military swaggering, what global warming, let's keep government out of places it might help (like health care) and stick in in places where it has no business (like reproductive rights) neo-con crapola we've been mired in for the last 8 years.

I do admire Obama, though I don't think he's the Second Coming, politicians being politicians. And I think the choice of Biden for VP was inspired. All Obama's weaknesses are Biden's strenths. This will make a very good governing team.

Unfortunately, I think McCain's choice of Palin for VP was even more inspired. She's playing -- no, she's pandering -- to everyone in America who likes to vote without thinking, which is a lot of people. Obama said about McCain and Palin, "You can't just make stuff up," but the truth is you can. Palin says she's for this and against that, regardless of her past record, and people are lapping it up because she's spunky and feisty -- words no one uses for anyone they're taking seriously, by the way. She's non-threatening, but her positions are those of the far right so they love her, and they can look non-sexist doing it, these people who believe a woman's place really is in the home. And McCain can look like a maverick, not because of his same-old-stuff policies (it didn't work the first couple times, so let's do it HARDER) but because he bucked his own party's wisdom and came up with a winner.

This election, everyone's said for a long time now, will be decided by the undecided. I think now it'll be decided by the un-enfranchised. Not the disenfranchised, people who haven't been allowed a voice, but people who often just don't vote. By which I mean a certain segment of women; and young people, and especially blacks.

This isn't the only political blog I'll do. But my closing thought today is: this election is far too important for Obama to lose. The right is already celebrating. The Democrats have got to mobilize and go after people who'd otherwise sit this one out. Those are the people who will make this difference.

I'm not at all sure we can win. You know, that cynicism thing. But the one great thing about me is, when I make predictions, I'm usually wrong.