Ah, Fall!

We're experiencing something approaching Indian Summer here in Your Nation's Capital this Halloween afternoon. Unusually warm and quite sunny. I'd say it was Indian Summer, except that we haven't actually had a freeze yet this year, which I believe is one of the definitional elements.

I have to go out in a bit and start in on some of the leaves in the backyard with my mower. (I plan to mulch them up and spread them 'round the garden.) I steadfastly maintain that I don't have to fool with the leaves in the front ditch yet, since the trees aren't even half empty and any such labor would be a waste of time. At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

This or the next will probably be the last post I manage to get in prior to the election, so here is my Fearless Prediction: Bush wins. And not only that, we know it Tuesday night. Everything about this election cycle feels far more like 2002 than 2000 to me. I think the polls are chronically undercounting Republican voters. I think the press ignores the genuine enthusiasm of Dubya's supporters and the nose-holding-what-the-hell mentality of many Kerry voters. I also think the allaged army of newly registered folks is going to be far more evenly split than analysts suggest. Note, finally, that going into this last weekend, Bush is on the attack and Kerry is on the defensive.

Finally, I think Osama's taunting has re-raised the fundamental question every voter is going to have to ask him or herself in the booth: Which of these candidates - Bush or Kerry - would you want on your side in a back-alley fight?

Anyway, that's what I think. Later!