The Final Stretch

     Political conventions are not nearly as important as they used to be but they are not meaningless.  The conventions of today's world won't win or lose an election but they can sure help or hurt a political party.  There is only one goal of these three day infomercials and that's to generate momentum for the final stretch of the campaign.

     The Republicans trotted out Ann Romney to humanize her husband, VP candidate Paul Ryan to slam President Obama and the Party's presidential candidate Mitt Romney who promised to restore prosperity.  The Democrats sent Michelle Obama to vouch for her husband's character, former President Clinton to defend the President's record and President Obama who promised to finish the job he started.   About the only thing missing after two week of endless speeches was a 800 number for a set of steak knives.

     Watching every minute of both political conventions is more than most people did but I enjoyed all of it.  After two weeks of speech after speech, promise after promise and criticism  after criticism, my prediction for the outcome of the presidential race has not changed.   I have disagreed with the pollsters for a long time.  The contest won't be as close as the soothsayers profess and the bump for Obama in the  polls  after the conventions concluded seem to prove my predictions.  Team Obama 6 Team Romney 0.  The results suggest the 5 to 7 % who were setting on the fence have fallen into Obama's pasture.  If you watched both conventions, those results should come as no surprise because the Republicans managed to make enemies of every minority in existence except the rich.

     In less than two months the final stretch will be one for the history books but if my perception is correct there will not be a fast closer coming from behind to win the race.   OK, maybe we are all simply treading water but at least our heads are above water.  If Mitt and the Republicans win the presidency the only people who won't drown are the rich.  I for one am willing to tread water a little longer because in 2016 Hillary will be in the White House and she will give everyone a new set of steak knives.  Whether or not any of us will even be able to afford  steak by 2016 is another question so the knives may end up gathering dust. But at least I know I'll be able to eat Democratic hamburger because Obamacare will buy me a set of dentures.