“Any thoughts would be welcome... Clearly, I’m feeling quite a bit of angst, “
Go out and do some work for the election instead of sitting around watching polls and using FR as group therapy for when you dont like the numbers.
Obama met with the don, Bill Clinton.
Hurricane Ike.
Stock market calamity.
These are press driven polls and they wouldn't tell us if Old John had a big lead.
In 1988, Dukakis blew himself up in the debate when asked a question by Bernard Shaw. The press immediately conferred with John Sasso and decided to create artificial momentum through saying people were rallying to his “populist” message. They all began their reports with how people were responding to Dukakis’ new slogan, “I'm on your side.” It was the dumbest think I'd ever heard, but the press went on and on. Polls later showed the race didn't change at all during that time.
These things are not for the faint hearted. The press was surprised once, in 1980. Some of them actually felt sorry for Reagan in October of that year and forced an apology from Jimmy Carter for being too “mean.” They've had long memories and long knives ever since. Fight on.
darn good advice.