The [campaign] theme for awhile was that the voters were sick and tired of being told by the media who was going to be their nominee. But it seems to have come full circle now, and it looks like we may end up getting the same people we were going to get in the first place: [McCain and Clinton].... Seventy percent of the country wants to withdraw from Iraq, and we get two pro-war candidates. If that doesn't tell you how f****d-up the system is, I don't know what does.So we are now at a crossroads. Here, for what it's worth, are two scenarios: To the right, we get McCain vs. Clinton and more of the same, whoever wins. If these are the candidates, Hillary will get a media pounding that will make the Swift Boats seem like a luxury cruise. The GOP will nominate McCain and a "smart Bush" - maybe Giuliani or even (God forbid!) Cheney - for Veep. The GOP/MSM noise machine will bring the McCain poll numbers upward toward 45%, which is close enough for Diebold, et. al, to do the rest. McCain, age 72, will win and after a year or two, retire "for health reasons." Bush's "enabling acts" will still be in place, and ... - the rest is too horrible to contemplate. To the left, the public demand for change becomes irresistible. Edwards is nominated, or perhaps Obama with a populist enthusiasm not clearly evident today. A populist/Democratic tsunami overwhelms the black-box voting machines, a Democrat moves into the White House, and the Democrats take substantial control of Congress. By then, the Bush depression may be upon us, opening the door to substantial social, economic and political reform. The latter scenario can not happen without a massive outpouring of public anger and demand for substantial change. If that anger is contained, we remain on a rightward course. If it breaks loose and the Bastille falls, all bets are off. It's in the hands of we the people. Hold on tight: it's going to be a rough ride ahead! Copyright 2008 by Ernest Partridge