Frustration: A Timeline

About two months ago I was watching some news channel and a quick blurb popped up of Bush excitedly telling us about a movement of troops in the middle east he was ordering. Looking at his lips moving, I remember thinking he was like a 7th grader giving a speech at the high school. "Look at me! I'm important! Look at me!!" The country being in the middle of a debate of change via the Democratic race, I remember mentally patting Bush on the head "awww, that's cute, go play with your toy soldiers, little man." I mean, does anybody remember when Bush even mattered? Who cares?

Then a coupla weeks ago I jokingly said that with the Obama/Hillary war going on, McCain should just disappear, let them chew each other up, giving him his only chance. Who could possibly conceive of a Republican winnning the presidency after the last 8 years, no matter who was running, right?

Now he has gone away, wisely going to Iraq to "visit the troops." And Obama and Hillary are lobbing headlines at each other day after day; it has become a soap opera for anyone with eyes and ears. 24/7 on the news channels, everyone poised for the next "gotcha!!!" moment.

Now I'm seeing these polls that, depending on which poll you're looking at, has McCain either up by 2 or 3 points or down by the same. How is this possible, I'm thinking. I had thought of McCain as placeholder for the GOP in this election, just like when they threw Bob Dole away in 1996. Regroup for the next one, cause they ain't winning this one. But now it looks like McCain is about one "Obama shot JR!!!" headline away from actually maybe winning. Unreal.

Then yesterday I was on the train with a copy of Rolling Stone (ugh) reading Matt Tiabbi's thoughts on Obama and Hillary's chances and he said something that struck me as very interesting and, worse, possible. To paraphrase (search online for 20 minutes, grrrr) the upshoot is that by the time the election finally comes around, the Democrats will have been the sole headlines for so long that people will forget about the Republicans and the fact that it was that ol' gang that fucked everything up in the first place, and will associate the shit we're in with the Democrats and will vote thusly. Isn't that amazing.