>>> Bonus Points...Not for who "said" it, but for the repercussions:

"Tin soldiers and Nixon Coming
We're finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming"

It DOES have to do with something that took place in Ohio late yesterday...and pertains to an event taking place today...

Ohio is indeed a swing state, but that's not what I'm after...

Since nobody correctly guessed at what I was getting at, no bonus points will be awarded...

What I do not know about the weather (how many times have I enjoyed crow this year???), I do know about politics.

I would just like to go on the record that I told you Ohio was going to be an important player in the Presidential Election. Ultimately, Ohio DECIDED the election. While the polls and pundits all said for the days and weeks leading up to the election that Ohio was tied or too close to call, they were forgetting one very important thing. The Ohio ballot proposition and the motivation of deeply religious voters regardless of political affiliation...combined with a last minute decision by Ohio's highest court to actually UPHOLD the law and permit elections inspectors to be present at all polling places.

Once elections inspectors were allowed, I knew Ohio was in the bag...I did not see it being the actual DECIDING factor, but I knew the GOP had 20 EC votes in the bag.

I'm available to run your next campaign for public office for a modest price.

One more thing...no matter what your political views & label (that is really what it is, a label...we are all Americans), with a few exceptions, the media have a very liberal bias. There are at any one time nearing a close election 10-15 separate polls per state (swing states)...the media almost NEVER average all polls, but rather pick the "best" poll in terms of numbers for "their" candidate.

I told anyone who was willing to listen that Bush would be reelected...they all said I was crazy, and they even went so far as to say that Bush's terrible numbers in NY would bring down my boss with him. For three weeks I had to reassure my family, friends and co-workers that the President would be re-elected, and that my boss would too.

My boss won this election by the largest plurality he has ever enjoyed and Bush comfortably won as well.

Hey, I'm not Karl Rove, but I do know my stuff when it comes to politics.

Oh, that little ballot measure? Gay marriage. Why was it even on the ballot? The Massachussets Supreme Court upheld a lower court decision to declare that persons of the same sex could form a civil union and be afforded the same rights as a married (male & female) couple. Why would this matter in Ohio (or any other state, for that matter). Because unless and until the federal government specifically outlaws this (Defense of Marriage Act notwithstanding), the wording of the Massachussets legislation effectively skirts federal law. Why again, would this matter in Ohio? Because of the longstanding dictum that holds that what occurs in one state, as defined by that state's law, also may be accepted by ALL the 50 states...why again, would this matter? If this (Massachussets) measure is heard by the US Supreme Court, and the Massachussets law stands, it means that all the 50 states have to accept Mass law...ie same sex "marriages" (civil unions).

Ohio and I believe 9 other states put these measures on the ballot to protect themselves from having to have Mass. dictate their own laws.

OK, where is this going...right? Conservative (socially) states like Ohio placing a measure on the ballot will bring out conservative voters...who would overwhelmingly support the president, would come out in droves to vote for the Ohio proposition AND Bush. And they did.

So what the hell does this have to do with Ohio and the Presidential election?

A VERY convincing argument can be made that the actions of the Massachussets supreme court tipped the election to Bush.

Kerry is from...

Massachusetts.

DOH!

That "somewhere a butterfly flaps its wings" dictum. Bush retains the White House.

I only wish I could predict the weather. Crow is a dish best served cold.