THE AMERICAN BAROMETER

Where are we at? Let's break it down:

Horrendous, hated, flailing incumbent? Check.

Looming (if not already loomed) economic crisis? Check.

Foreign policy embarrassments, incompetence, mission creep, and growing (if not growed) anti-Americanism? Check.

General malaise among the people? Check.

A hack, a quack, a dick & a prick running for the nomination of the horrendous, hated, flailing incumbent's political party? Check, check, check & check. (Bonus points for the first reader who identifies, in correct order, the identity of the four fellas mentioned above)

The incumbent's political party seems a bit too entrenched, a bit too flabby, a bit too stuck in a rut of routine rather than ideas. Check.

Sounds like a recipe for a 1932 or 1980-level election day rout, doesn't it? You know, one of those 400-135 electoral vote debacles. Accompanied by veto-proof margins in the Senate and House. 62-38, 275-160 sort of things.

But alas, we have Hillary & Obama. President Clinton (again) or President McCain, here we come.

And who's excited about that?