Because the CNN post-debate crew, lead by James Carville, basically said last night that the race is over. We can stick a fork in the McCain campaign …
Because John McCain has been counted out before …
Because john McCain seems to respond best as an underdog …
Because Barack Obama hasn’t proven to be great as a front-runner …
Because Barack Obama is black …
Because a recent Stanford study indicated that Barack Obama may lose as many as 6 points on election day, because people are not being honest with pollsters about race, which means he could be up by as many as 5 points on Election Day, and still lose …
Because some polls I’ve seen, even now — after the utter debacle of McCain’s last few weeks, politically; after the economy tanked, Obama won two debates, and Biden won one — have Obama tied or with only a two or three point edge …
Because John Kerry had a 4 point lead Thursday before election day, and lost …
Because Al Gore had an 11 point lead going into the last debate, and lost …
Because some pundits are saying, with a straight face, that Palin has been rehabilitated, and will be a trusted weapon for the campaign in the weeks ahead …
Because Palin and McCain have started painting Obama in racially-tinged ways, implying he pals around with terrorists, and they have seemed to revel in rallies where people have chanted things like “kill him” (referring to Obama) …
Because Obama is black …
Because in the state-by-state polling — even though Obama’s ahead — he’s still going to need to flip at least one of Bush’s states to win the election — Colorado, Virginia, Ohio, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico – while keeping every last blue state blue …
Because Obama has absolutely no margin for error …
Because there are still 27 days to go before election day …
Because — hey, truth in advertising — I’m the Neurotic Democrat.
I’m very much looking forward to this day of fasting, which begins in a few hours, to center on the spiritual, to purge some of the toxicity of this campaign, to focus inward.
And I take strength and direction from the lines in the Torah portion that we read for last week — perhaps my favorite lines in the Torah — from Deuteronomy 31:7-8. Moses dying words to Joshua, in the sight of all Israel, as Moses passes the baton of leadership: “Be strong and of good courage … Fear not and be not dismayed!”
Those of you who are fasting, g’mar tov. May you have an easy fast.
Have a peaceful and meaningful Yom Kippur.