I think I may finally be getting a glimpse of what could happen when November 5 arrives and the crowds go home. Did you notice that McC. has demonstrably softened his attacks on Obama over the past few days even as Sarah has sharpened hers to an almost hysterical pitch. Someone starts race-baiting at a rally... Sarah. Someone drags out Bill Ayers from the 1960's blur... Sarah.

Does this sound plausible? 3 weeks from now (or slightly less if Troopergate implodes) Sarah is discredited for her part in the vituperative tenor of the race and the 'stoking' of racist and hateful people at the GOP rallies. She goes from being the hockey mom to being in truth the pit-bull. The attack dog that gets put down when it bites once too often. With no mention of the fact that someone was holding her chain and feeding her the red meat. She dissappears into the Alaskan mist to face her own judgement in Troopergate.

And John? Having pulled back to a more fact (okay.. half fact) based policy discussion. He can slide back into his role in the Senate with just a 'might have been'.