...And Don't Freak Out Either

A lot of Democrats are getting overwrought about the current poll numbers. Please, folks, stop pulling out your hair and calm down. It is not unusual for the Republican candidate to be ahead in the polls at this point — immediately after his party's convention and after a lot of media attention. What, you were expecting to be ahead in the polls all the way to Election Day?

There are still eight weeks to go. A lot can happen in that time, and indeed a lot is supposed to happen in that time. Kerry is not suddenly, magically, unelectable. And the basics underlying this campaign have not mysteriously changed. The economy is still in the tank; gas prices are still high; the environment is still threatened; our civil liberties are still being eroded; and, most importantly, almost a thousand American soldiers have died in a war that Bush lied to get us into. Four days of fawning coverage of the Incompetent Liar-in-Chief haven't changed any of that.

As long as we can get the basic Democratic message out in the next two months, there is still an excellent chance of winning. For once, let's resist the urge toward the familiar circular firing squad.