The Secret of American Politics: No matter how they toss the dice, it has to be, The only one for me is you, and you for me, So happy together

1) See Scott and Sarah run a state: Since when did the 2008 presidential race become Roman Hruska's revenge? "Quit it, Todd!!" The First Dude, indeed.

2) You might want to check with the late John Tower about that: Fred Thompson on the stump last week for Sarah Palin: "This woman has undergone the most vicious assault we've ever seen in public life." [MSNBC 9-10-08]

3) Check out the big brain on Bob: Bob Barr backs out of the third-party-unity movement before it starts, saying, "This is not a time, as Dante Alighieri said many years ago, to remain neutral....To paraphrase him, woe be unto those who remain neutral." You know, the "epic poem fan" vote has pretty much gone to hell in recent cycles.

4) Drop everything: And read today's Norman J. Ornstein op-ed in the Wash Post (9-15-08). Commenting on the skills that the next president will need to bring "change" to Washington, Ornstein says, "That kind of consensus is forged through the political process. It's done by finding allies and building coalitions via intense bargaining and politicking. The skills needed are far more likely to be possessed by Washington insiders than iconoclastic outside reformers." Go insiders!

5) Livin' in the future: Why do we foresee a Palin presidency as ominous? Some weird mix of "Wild in the Streets" and "Advise and Consent." But then again, there was that whole Agnew thing.

6) How we lived before MySpace: Commenting on the fact that Sen. McC often hugs Gov. Palin on the trail, Democrat Geraldine Ferraro explained that she and Vice President Walter Mondale never touched while campaigning together because they didn't want people to think they "were dating."Never crossed our mind. Honest.

7) Why American politics ain't what it used to be: Chuck Norris is the guest on CNN's "Larry King Live" last week to comment on the presidential race. Chuck was also hawking his new tome, "Black Belt Politics." He says he's studied our problems and has come up with the answers. Uh oh.

8) Get me Jack Germond! Stat! We knew this would be the ultimate consequence of Gov. Bill Clinton appearing in People magazine way back when. Now "The View's" Joy Behar trips up McC on his ads - "We know that those two ads are untrue." And "TMZ" shows Biden gaffes! We can hardly wait to see Mary Hart explain the electoral college. That comes on Nov. 5th.

9) Politics 101: "The correct way to eat crow": Alaskan Sen. Lisa Murkowski's comments on Sarah Palin went largely unmentioned during the GOP convention except by one short note in the NYT [9-4-08]. Frank's daughter said, "It is an absolute historic moment for the state of Alaska. People need to know how excited people here, in this convention hall, are about Sarah, our Sarah." Well done.

10) Why don't these people ever run for County Commissioner first? In one of the more surreal moments on CNN's "Lou Dobbs" in recent memory, Lou banged the gong again about the need to overturn the convictions of two U.S. Border Patrol agents, turning to guest Chuck Baldwin, Constitution Party presidential candidate, and asking what viewers can do to help. Baldwin replies that they can "vote for me" and the first thing he'll do as President is to commute their sentences. Okay Chuck, so what else can they do?