September Surprises
2010-09-13 - by
The 9/11 rallies and replays this weekend were a reminder of how X Factors can scramble our lives – and politics.
Nine years and three days ago, George Bush was working hard to be the No Child Left Behind president.
After 9/11, he became obsessed with his oedipal need to both avenge and top his pop by ousting Saddam Hussein, which had nothing to do with the people who attacked us on 9/11. Years later – and a trillion dollars and thousands of destroyed lives later – we’re still recovering from that decision.
Two years ago this month, you might remember, John McCain had vaulted ahead of Barack Obama in the presidential race with his pick of Sarah Palin. Then Palin and the economy imploded.
For a couple of weeks, we all had the sickening feeling that the fundamental floor of our economy was falling out from under us.
After that, Obama sailed into the White House.
This year, the “narrative” of this campaign has been fixed: huge Republican gains. But there could be X Factors.
And the Great Collective Media Mind will not be content to write this same story for seven weeks. At some point, the story line will change. It could be a brief detour – or a permanent U-turn.
But stability is not something I would count on in today’s world.
September Surprises
2010-09-13/
The 9/11 rallies and replays this weekend were a reminder of how X Factors can scramble our lives – and politics.
Nine years and three days ago, George Bush was working hard to be the No Child Left Behind president.
After 9/11, he became obsessed with his oedipal need to both avenge and top his pop by ousting Saddam Hussein, which had nothing to do with the people who attacked us on 9/11. Years later – and a trillion dollars and thousands of destroyed lives later – we’re still recovering from that decision.
Two years ago this month, you might remember, John McCain had vaulted ahead of Barack Obama in the presidential race with his pick of Sarah Palin. Then Palin and the economy imploded.
For a couple of weeks, we all had the sickening feeling that the fundamental floor of our economy was falling out from under us.
After that, Obama sailed into the White House.
This year, the “narrative” of this campaign has been fixed: huge Republican gains. But there could be X Factors.
And the Great Collective Media Mind will not be content to write this same story for seven weeks. At some point, the story line will change. It could be a brief detour – or a permanent U-turn.
But stability is not something I would count on in today’s world.