[mburbank]

I agree with Proto. A year is absolutely forever in electoral terms. It's one of the main reasons I believe this really is Sadaam. I think if he'd never gotten caught, Democrats would have had political capital they don't have now. But the political capital of having captured him will be long gone, old news. Plus, they need to keep him shut up for over a year now. Suppose he has all kinds of proof that he'd never have attained power or held it without the help of the CIA? A lot of people may have forgotten how cozy we were with the Baathists pre gulf war one. Saadam may be ikely to remind them. If we keep him in an undoclosed location for over a year, that's going to raise questions on it's own.

Other Points: I'm glad they caught him.

I cannot believe the administration, having caught him, already has to lie about it. Bremmer said this morning they caught him yesterday, and that they already have DNA evidence that it's really him. That is simply not possible. Like lying about the Britts radio message when Bush flew in for thanksgiving, it is totally uneccesary. They are an administration of t6otally compulsive liars.

While I personally think that Bush will squeak out another term, I think it's very, very niave for any of you to think that the election is not in question. I think he's very vulnerable. I think he's been a highly active conservative WAY WAY too the right of where the the electorate actually is. I think the rosy news about the economy is like me having no job and putting a new car on my kids credit card. I think a lot of people out of work aren't going to believe the economy is doing well until they're working again, and that may not happen in the next year. I think this is a spooky as hell adminsitration that's done a lot of VERY ugly shit and a lot of shoes can drop in a year.

I'd aalso remind you all that while Nixon won a second term in a landslide it didn't last very long.