Monday Meanderings (for September 22, 2008)

The big story of the past week had to be the big financial market bailout. Some call it action to fix the nation’s worst economic calamity since the Great Depression. Others say, while something needed to be done, the bailout in essence is pure socialism. I am not an economic expert so I don’t know. I have a feeling; however, this “fix” won’t fix the problem.

I also have a feeling the worse the economy gets, the worse it is McCain/Palin.

In all honesty, I’ve thought all along this presidential election was Obama’s to lose. If he does lose, perhaps the democrats should focus on nominating a more “middle of the road” candidate, instead of one who, by most all accounts, is among the most liberal in Washington.

I’m not sure how much stock I’d put in polls, especially with six weeks to go before the election. However, a couple threw up red flags in my feeble mind for the Republicans.

One is the latest in a series of North Carolina presidential-preference polls that shows Obama very close to McCain.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/north_carolina/election_2008_north_carolina_presidential_election

In fact, he’s so close he’s within the margin of error. When it comes to electoral votes, McCain has little margin of error. If Obama can somehow win North Carolina, I don’t see how McCain can win the White House. For the record, George W. Bush beat John Kerry by double digits in North Carolina in 2004.

Here’s another poll that surprised me.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_senate_elections/south_carolina/election_2008_south_carolina_senate

It has Lindsey Graham up over Bob Conley of North Myrtle Beach in South Carolina’s U.S. Senate race by only eight points. Graham has serious detractors among many state republicans. But he annihilated his republican opponent in the primary by a huge margin. And he’s only beating an unknown democrat by single digits in this Rasmussen poll? Again, Graham will likely win… but numbers like that should at the very least energize some state democrats. And if that margin holds up, some democrats better known than Conley will kick themselves for not running.

It was nice to see Coastal Carolina win a tough game and win it going away. However, what was CCU’s top running back Eric O’Neal doing in the game in the final five minutes of a 31-3 blowout? O’Neal hurt his ankle near the end of the game. Right now, we’re not sure if he’ll be able to play at N.C. A&T this Saturday or, more importantly, against Big South Conference-favorite Liberty on October 4 in Conway.

The Gamecocks nearly lost another game to Wofford last Saturday. They need to beat UAB this Saturday night and then win at Ole Miss the following Saturday. The Ole Miss game may be the key game in the Gamecocks’ season. It may be a pivotal game in Steve Spurrier’s Gamecock career.

Speaking of the Gamecocks, have you noticed how the new women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley is doing? She has some key commitments and is getting attention from some of the top players in the entire country. And USC’s men’s coach Darrin Horn got a key commit from Mullins point guard Eric Smith and another from a good player in West Palm Beach. Who would have thought a couple of years ago that there’s as much, if not more optimism, about both USC basketball teams than for its football team?

Now that I said that, watch Spurrier win eight regular-season games and shut everyone up.

Tomorrow, September 23, is my birthday. It is also Nicole Boone’s birthday. We are likely the only main anchor team in America with the same birthday (different years, of course). And since few countries have local television stations to the extent we do in the USA, we may be the only main anchor team in the world that blows out the candles on the same day. And since intelligent life is not known outside of Earth, we may be the only team in the universe.

As for gifts, both Nicole and I prefer gold. Or oil. They continue to surge. Despite the bailout.

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