It turns out that one of the reasons Colin Powell opted to endorse Obama was because of a noxious remark by some Republican congresswoman from Minnesota (whom hardly anyone has ever heard of) that the press should be "investigating" lawmakers to see if they're "pro-American." This makes me wonder, though, how much weight Powell gave to (a) comments from Obama supporters, such as Rep. John Lewis, and (b) whether a McCain defeat really would promote the center-right wing of the Republican Party, which I earlier argued it would not. More likely we'll just see a lot of internecine fighting, which has indeed already begun.
On the other hand, if Obama wins (as his Intrade contract currently gives an 83 percent probability) it will be an interesting time to be a center-right writer, as there will be plenty of material to cover during the new left-liberal ascendancy (including about whether the right is mounting productive responses). So, as someone whose politics were shaped in no small part by reaction against the Jimmy Carter era, I at least have a certain sense of professional anticipation.
