I've been saying for some time that this election would be a realigning election, a blowout, not close like that last few but an overwhelming victory for Barack Obama. I said this at a time when he and McCain were tied, or McCain slightly ahead, in national polls. I said it expecting that as Obama became the presumptive nominee, and especially after he secured officially the Democratic nomination, he would pull clearly into the lead.

He's still not secured the official nomination, but the perception that he's going to get it has become a common one. And we can see the results already:

Obama leads McCain in November match | World | Reuters

The reason we're seeing this, I believe, is because this is an issue-driven campaign, unlike the previous two. People are concerned about, and the candidates take strongly different positions on, the economy, trade, the environment, and the war in Iraq. Character attacks such as have been mounted on Obama over the past few months simply don't carry the weight that those issues do. The country is in trouble, the widespread perception is that we're heading in the wrong direction, and people want someone to take a different approach. Obama, unlike any Democrat in recent history, promises, with specifics, to do that.

That Bush is an unpopular president of course makes things harder still for McCain, but that, too, is part of the general perception of national problems needing fixing. If people didn't see the country as in trouble, the president wouldn't be so unpopular.

And remember, although it's clear Obama is almost certainly going to be the nominee, he hasn't officially sewn it up yet, and certainly neither party has held its convention. I predict that lead will widen over the coming months.

Aye to that. It will be refreshing to praise America for a change.

Looks as though the tree of Liberty may need to be watered again.

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There can be no bystanders in the battle for survival. Anyone who will not fight by your side is an enemy you must crush.

We are at war with forces too terrible to comprehend. We cannot afford mercy for any of its victims too weak to take the correct course. Mercy destroys us; it weakens us and saps our resolve. Put aside all such thoughts. They are not worthy of those in the service of country.

So you'll only praise the US if it votes as you want it to?

CNN.com - Kerry leads Bush in new poll - Mar 9, 2004

These sorts of polls don't really mean much..

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"Anyone that needs what they want, and doesn’t want what they need
I want nothing to do with
And to do what I want
And to do what I please
Is first on my to-do list"
-Gnarls Barkley, "Going On" lyrics

With whose blood?

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When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid
Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

That of patriots and tyrants.

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There can be no bystanders in the battle for survival. Anyone who will not fight by your side is an enemy you must crush.

We are at war with forces too terrible to comprehend. We cannot afford mercy for any of its victims too weak to take the correct course. Mercy destroys us; it weakens us and saps our resolve. Put aside all such thoughts. They are not worthy of those in the service of country.

Any chance you could be more specific?

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When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid
Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

They mean more the closer we come to the election. I see this one as meaning that Obama is now pretty clearly going to be the nominee, and so people are thinking clearly in terms of him versus McCain.

We'll see what happens after the conventions. My prediction is that Obama will be further ahead than this 8 point lead two weeks after both conventions have been held. I'll hold myself to that and publicly revise my opinion if it turns out I'm wrong.

For too long this country has strayed from the path our founders set out. It looks as though Obama, if elected, will try to take us even further from that path. Time will tell of course. For all we know, Obama might finally grow-up if elected, and get a heathly dose of reality.

Still, my rifle and gear will be ready just in case.

__________________
There can be no bystanders in the battle for survival. Anyone who will not fight by your side is an enemy you must crush.

We are at war with forces too terrible to comprehend. We cannot afford mercy for any of its victims too weak to take the correct course. Mercy destroys us; it weakens us and saps our resolve. Put aside all such thoughts. They are not worthy of those in the service of country.

Reacting to elections one doesn't like by advocating violent overthrow of the party in power doesn't sound much like "watering the tree of liberty". That sounds like something that would happen in Nicaragua.

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"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases."

-Thomas Jefferson

I'm with you on this. I don't really put any stock in polls at the moment. I'd imagine that they may have a bit more predictive power once Hillary ends her campaign for 2012 and the nominees are set in stone.

__________________
"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases."

-Thomas Jefferson

And what path might that be?

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Big Number of 2008
8,217,246
Obama's Margin of Victory

"Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are servilely crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear."

-Thomas Jefferson

Somehow, I doubt you'll be praising America for electing a new President who has the same Israel policies as the current administration (and both other presidential contenders).

Matt

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De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

Which is why I am taking a wait-and-see stance. His election will not be the spark, but his actions and those of congress.

__________________
There can be no bystanders in the battle for survival. Anyone who will not fight by your side is an enemy you must crush.

We are at war with forces too terrible to comprehend. We cannot afford mercy for any of its victims too weak to take the correct course. Mercy destroys us; it weakens us and saps our resolve. Put aside all such thoughts. They are not worthy of those in the service of country.