Guten Morgen, Damen und Herren.

My mood jumps a bit back and forth watching the election news over the past few months...I was riding quite high after the post-convention Bushie-Bounce, and then after the first debate when Our Fearless Leader was acting a bit pissy and impatient (and polls subsequently evened out) I was a bit morose with the thought of a possible defeat. And now, as Bush widens his lead (visit http://www.realclearpolitics.com for an up-to-date average of the major polls and an electoral college map) I'm feeling reassured. It all boils down to the immense unpredictability of elections, though...the only poll that matters is on November 2nd. But we will see.

I find it enormously amusing that my friend and fellow patriot Andrew Talbert has achieved one of his goals over the past week...making the first contact with his future wife, Barbara Bush. While he confessed to me that email addresses and phone numbers were not exchanged as yet, he insists that this is only the first stage, and I must give him time. I saw the pictures of them together yesterday they had taken...they do make a fine couple. Good luck Andres, you have your work cut out for you. Have a care not to get your legs broken by the Secret Service. Well, in all seriousness, I laugh, but I have also long learned not to underestimate future President Talbert. A genuine good luck, Sir, as you will need every ounce of the training you recieved from me in all manners of suaveness and charm.

Vlad Putin has essentially endorsed Bushie for reelection. Tony Blair I would wonder about, but I bet he would too, but for his decidedly liberal base that no doubt yearns for The Nuanced One. Now, I can see Kofi Annan, Jacque Chirac, the Iranian mullahs, and Kim Jong Il aching for a Kerry victory, but as far as our real allies go, they don't want someone who intends to leave them high and dry. Bush is doggedly loyal and resolute, and that sort of consistency is probably much valued by our true allies. With Kerry, there couldn't be a sense of trust, because you never quite know for sure what he means or intends to do. For example, consider his statement as follows, just after the capture of Saddam:

"Those who doubted whether Iraq or the world would be better off without Saddam Hussein and those who believe today that we are not safer with his capture don't have the judgment to be president or the credibility to be elected president."

Kerry has gone and contradicted himself on this time and time again, over these past few months. He is an opportunist, not an idealist, and that means what he says is calculated, not founded on a core belief. Howard Dean, psychopathic nutjob though he may be, was at least this sort of idealist who said what he believed. Likewise, Nader. But Kerry? Give me a break...he's a gigolo for rich widows, and that personality has carried over to the political spectrum.