Matthew Continetti (trying his best to sound like Bill Kristol), in The Weekly Standard, a couple days ago:
It's time to face facts. In-your-face liberalism is about to make a comeback. And this time it will be on steroids.
Next year the Democrats will control both houses of Congress, most likely with comfortable, perhaps filibuster-proof majorities. If there is a Democratic president, too, Washington will host one of the most liberal governments in American history. Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid are more than ready to make staggeringly liberal changes in the country's economic, social, and foreign policy.
Matthew Continetti (trying his best to sound like Bill Kristol), in The Weekly Standard, today:
Is there something about chilly weather that makes the media jump to conclusions? Does the changing of seasons make pundits eager to pronounce Barack Obama a sure thing?
Okay, this is not precisely a contradiction, but you get the idea. Even more amusing is this bit from Continetti (trying his best to sound like Bill Kristol):
This is a close race and McCain is a wily underdog. More important, perhaps, he's an underdog who is often helped by outside events. The success of the surge strategy in Iraq helped McCain win the GOP nod. Over the last month, the financial crisis and McCain's haphazard response to it all but torpedoed his chances to win the presidency. But now, thanks to a global effort, the immediate crisis seems to have passed, and the worst seems to have been avoided. Yes, we are probably in a recession, and there are tough economic times ahead. But the sense of impending economic collapse has faded. And that helps McCain. [Italics Mine]
Obama won the debates, but the debates are finished. Obama has a lot more money, but money does not determine elections. President Bush is still incredibly unpopular, but McCain is finally telling audiences that he's not President Bush. Obama has almost every advantage--but it ain't over yet.
Hmm, so outside events help McCain? Well, not really. In fact--even by Continetti's own standards--it seems that what really helps McCain are events ending. But keep it up, guys--only two weeks to go!
--Isaac Chotiner