How blue are we really?

I came across the site of Dr. Mark Newman, a physics professor at the University of Michigan, while searching for some state-by-state data on the election. He has some interesting maps that have been transformed to try to get a better visual picture of the geography of the election results. For example, below is a "cartogram" that has resized each state based on its population and then colored with the infamous red or blue. Dr. Newman delves even further on his site by coloring individual counties various shades on the blue-purple-red continuum. It's an interesting set of images.

A Dream Unfettered

Does Sarah Palin know the difference between icing and offsides?

Granted, Jack has only been playing hockey for a year now. Still, Linda is technically a "hockey mom", so this is entirely appropriate (and funny)

Spin it 'round and 'round

Had to steal this post from Dale over at Meming of Life. The hypocrisy revealed here is dumbfounding.

The shoe fits...

(Hat tip to Kevin Z)

My Liberal Identity:

You are a Reality-Based Intellectualist, also known as the liberal elite. You are a proud member of what’s known as the reality-based community, where science, reason, and non-Jesus-based thought reign supreme.

Take the quiz at www.FightConservatives.com

Are you going to argue with Jack Nicholson?

This is simply brilliant.

Why Hillary can't win...

This is more telling than any poll.

I think John McCain will be our next President

(note: I am a political moron. What follows is not based on any facts, statistics, trends, or analysis of key issues. It is just some random thoughts from a generally apolitical mind. You have been warned.)

If there was ever a year where the Democrats could put a president in the White House, 2008 seems to be it. It just seems ripe for the picking. If only Al Gore or John Kerry were running this year. Hell, I'd take Michael Dukakis. I mean no slight against Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton - I think they'd make great presidents. I agree with their stance on most of the important (to me anyway) issues. In fact, it was difficult for me to decide on who to vote for in the Massachusetts Democratic primary - I easily could have gone either way. Unfortunately, I have serious doubts about whether either one can win the national election.

I've questioned Obama's and Clinton's electability for a while. I'll admit that I had hoped Al Gore would throw his hat into the ring once more. Barring that, I assumed John Edwards would need to be the one. Why? Because I don't think a black man named 'Barack Hussein Obama' or a woman, especially one towing Slick Willy behind her, will get the votes. It's superficial I know, but then again we are talking about the United States. Sure, either candidate will get the hard-line Democratic vote, but I think there will also be a huge push from the right to keep either out of the White House - there will be a large population, nationwide, that will not vote for a candidate, but against a candidate.

For a bit there though it looked like my fears were unfounded. I think neither Mitt Romney nor Mike Huckabee is electable either. I figured just about anyone could beat those two bobos. But now McCain has it all but wrapped up. Really, it must have been like taking candy from the proverbial baby. So now, the socially- and economically-conservative will vote for McCain (or at least, against Obama or Clinton) and the moderate, undecided vote has an appealing (white, male) choice.

Add to that the fact that Obama and Clinton may be duking it out with one another for months to come while McCain will be sitting pretty as the clear forerunner and can start his presidential campaign early. He can begin bringing the various Republican factions together, while Barack and Hillary continue to divide the Democrats. I've heard that right now the African-American voter turnout is through the roof. Will that be the case in November if Hillary gets the nomination?

I'm hoping a Democrat gets in - I'll be voting for which ever one gets the nomination. But I think McCain may be more electable, especially in swing-states like Ohio and Pennsylvania. 2008 might be the year the Democrat should have had, but didn't. I'm hoping I'm wrong.