Promised Land Inc.

God, I'm happy that the election is over. So motherfucking ecstatic. Finally, I can turn away from this disagreeable topic and concentrate on painting my collection of erotic Hummel figurines.

It is over, yes? I mean, based on all the crowing and strutting in various liberal corners, that's the picture I'm forming. And if there's anything truly solid in this sad world, it's gotta be liberal prognostication. Then again, I saw much of the same leading up to Kerry's defeat last time around. I worked in the local Kerry/Edwards office on election day, and the head libs could barely contain their glee about the coming victory -- until darkness fell, and the numbers began rolling in.

But maybe online libs are right this time. Maybe McCain's tactic to delay his shared press conference with Obama is a sign of desperation by the GOP, that their sacrificial candidate is essentially through. Wouldn't surprise me. Yet it seems that liberals are too aggressively confident, that all the celebratory noise covers a raw fear that the Repubs will once again find a way to squeeze in. There's a meanness as well, which, should Obama win, will become state-sanctioned. An Obama administration will stir up seriously twisted reactionary opinion and action, much harsher than what poor Bill Clinton endured. For all the talk about holding Obama's feet to the fire from a "progressive" angle, the right wing assault will practically guarantee an across-the-board liberal defense of The President (enunciated as on "The West Wing"). It's pretty much already here.

I think that McCain is employing every trick he knows or has heard of in order to win this thing. He hasn't come this far to suddenly throw in the towel. His "leadership" bit is both transparent and inspired. It gives Obama a slight opening, but he's still forced to match McCain's "concern" for the present crisis. McCain is making Obama react to him while he dominates the news cycle. It also bolsters the fiction of Maverick McCain -- what's a mere debate, which you can have any time, when the very nation is at stake? Senator Obama, just what are your priorities? The election? Or your country?

Whatever works. This election is taking place during a very anxious and unusual period. McCain's people clearly understand this and are acting accordingly. Obama wants to stick to the script, as do his followers. It's Their Turn to rule, so what's with all this cancelling debates bullshit?

Let's see how it shakes down. Forty days is a Bosch-like year in American politics.

Speaking of Better Tomorrows, Joe Biden's recent speech at Cincinnati’s Union Terminal was at once shameless and utterly revealing. His attack on McCain for backing the Iraq invasion was a howler, given Biden's own culpability on that front. But as I've said, every tactic must be tried, no matter how ridiculous or potentially self-defeating. Thank God there's no real democracy, or some of this rhetoric might prove damaging. As it is, candidates can spout pretty much anything, since real power lies elsewhere, content to finance the circus but wise enough to know that the cages are secure.

Lest anyone think that Biden was flirting with pacifism, he added, "Iran is much closer to the bomb; its influence in Iraq is expanding; its terrorist proxy Hezbollah is ascendant in Lebanon; its ally, Hamas controls Gaza and launches rockets at Israel. Beyond bluster, what would John McCain actually do about these dangers? He doesn’t say."

McCain the pussy? That's an interesting jab. Finer still is the promise that an Obama/Biden administration will do something "about these dangers." Of that I've no doubt. And should that balloon go up, what will Obama's fan base say or do? Somehow the words "feet" and "fire" aren't coming to mind.

You'd think that at a time like this, "Savage Mules" would thrive, or at least provoke some debate. But as you know, most lib outlets want nothing to do with my critique, and have no stomach to engage me directly. Their choice, of course. Perhaps my moment was meant to be brief. With "Mules," I flicked a spitball into a sea of flame. Not even a puff of smoke. Well, at least I still have my Hummel tribute to Plato's Retreat.