October Tricks or Treats

Octobers’ Trick or Treat – Presidential Style

October is a tricky month. It's all about Halloween, the first chill of winter, and - the dreaded “October Surprise.”

The October Surprise is a term for an event or piece of information that turns an election around. It may also be a suspicious piece of candy in your plastic trick or treat pumpkin. Whichever it is, not to worry.

In the past, October surprises have ranged from Michael Dukakis looking like a goof on top of a tank to James Carville labeling Bush out of touch by saying, “it’s the economy stupid.” Oh wait, that would be a good slogan for today. Of course it might be updated to, the nation’s nest egg is missing, stupid, or, McCain is gonna die and Sarah Palin is stupid, stupid.

I get anxious when friends tell me either “I’ve had a gut instinct since July, Obama is gonna be president” or “We’re all going to be very unhappy on November 5th, mark my words.” Now I’m gassy.

Here's the end game strategy for both candidates: Obama starts by mobilizing a vast army of motivated volunteers, then seals the deal on national TV, then steals more Republican newspaper endorsements from McCain; McCain pays a sizable group of employees who make calls for a living - last month they were making calls for Countrywide Mortgage, then, lose more friends, including Chuck Hagel, when you lose the Haleator, you know you're sunk, finally, cap it off with some backstabbing from that upstart Palin.

To you worriers I say: enjoy your trick or treat candy, worry about your waistline and laugh at the Daily Show. Enjoy it. Savor it. The die is cast. The mistakes have been made. The vetting has been vetted. Those who are still “on the fence” between McCain and Obama are either total idiots or … total idiots. Yeah, I said it. Unless you're deciding between Nader and Obama, or Barr and McCain. You might be a big picture type and I understand that. Otherwise, consider America's future, here and abroad. What piece of information are you waiting for to make up your minds - The October Surprise?