Did I mention that Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, 65-4 in years in control of the Diet and government, lost its snap election? That was an oversight on my part; the LDP most likely will do the Italian thing and find another party willing to go with them, the classic trap. But still, one more piece of evidence of this unstable moment.
I'm not going to retract any of my picks in the previous post, but I probably should explain my unorthodox pick of Harris-Walz winning Arizona, which has fairly consistently polled in Trump's favor (though by very little). You know the theory about the "shy Trump voter" who polls always miss? I'm not questioning its existence, but I don't see it applying in the case of Arizona: from what I've seen, Arizona Republicans are the opposite of shy. Instead, I would suggest the existence, and the miss in the polls of the "shy Latina voter". Think of it this way, and praise our culture for the (still) secret ballot: How about the Latina who answers the phone, but doesn't want to do the survey, and clearly her husband is just in the next room?*
As additional evidence, look at the trend on "delta" to national popular Presidential vote: How did the pollsters miss this? I rest my case.
About Pennsylvania, though, I have to admit that the data says "tie", just as the polls do, and PA will likely be determinative. Harris-Walz can't win without PA (or a combo of other non-Wall states), and Trump, the same, really (though his campaign is trying as a last-ditch effort to make Michigan viable as an alternative). I'm going beyond the data to give a small edge on the tangible/intangibles, as I suggested. Wisconsin/Michigan: I'm staying optimistic about both. Loss of either would portend disaster for Harris-Walz, as much as would Trump-Vance losing...
North Carolina/Georgia: I am usually disappointed in NC at the end (Obama in '08 the single exception in the other direction). Like I know that a very good Democratic candidate in Texas (read: Colin Allred) gets just about 48%, if they run a very good campaign. Yes, Democrats will win the Governor race there, by a lot, and thus probably control the legislature despite extreme gerrymandering. As for Georgia, besides Harris needing a massive turnout, she needed the severe Republican political malpractice that benefitted Biden, Ossoff, and Warnock in their races before. The state Republicans worked together this time and Trump didn't do enough specifically in GA to screw it up. At least that's how I see it.
Finally, Nevada. Jon Ralston got over his freak-out over the Republican-trending early vote there and reversed the sense of his guidance at the last moment, now predicting a "very, very close" victory for Harris. I stand by my unique Toss-up call for that one. It's like picking a draw in a league soccer match, which is a thing.
As for the World Series, the less follow-up, the better. All the drama was in the first game, really, which was one for the ages. I guess the last game--which I missed--was at least exciting. Instead of "follow-up", when it comes to postseason baseball, with so many 100-mph hurlers, it's about the change-up. Or Blake Treinen's curve ball. The question is whether this throwback matchup is the first of many, or the first of a more-normal kind of interval, a decade or two? The likely departure of Juan Soto suggests there may not be a rematch next year, which I'm sure Yankee fans would be seeking for their buck. It reminds me of Brooklyn Dodgers fans in the Fifties, so they say.
Wait 'til next year! And if Trump wins, we won't need any more years, it'll be like that forever.
But Change. When you have weak incumbency, something you could argue exists for both White House tickets, you get this.
*Morale of the story: Not all white men are the same, behaviorally. I know some people of color might reply that when it comes down to certain situations, they are, and they might be right. Anyway, in Arizona they are proud of their rightness and will not shy away from saying so. More like the effect if you canvassed whites in Wyoming, or Alabama.
Instead, the additional hidden turnout in Harris' direction might be from Native Americans (especially those on the reservations); though they are several percent of the state's population, who overcome obstacles and vote, they probably never get polled.
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