Minne-what, now?

Two polls out from Minnesota, one from the Star-Tribune and one from SurveyUSA, show that the state is now more competitive than it ever has been.  The only state in the nation to deny Ronald Reagan its electoral votes twice appears to be giving serious consideration to the prospect of President McCain and Vice President Palin.  (Hat tip for the Strib poll: Power Line.)

In addition, the latest national tracking polls from Gallup and Rasmussen both show McCain slightly ahead; Rasmussen shows him breaking the 50% barrier against Obama for the first time.

Analysis after the break.

Even these clouds have a silver lining

Post-Ike Texas

The news today has been overwhelmed by stories about the awful aftermath of Hurricane Ike in the Gulf Coast area, especially East Texas.  Search-and-rescue teams have been on 24-hour duty, despite no knowledge of how many are in need of them (or how many luckless others are beyond their help, subject only to search-and-recover efforts).

Millions are without power or potable water; restoring them could take as long as a month in some places, according to Bloomberg.com.  Eight American deaths have been confirmed attributable to Ike (five in TX, two in LA, one in AR).  A curfew has been imposed by local police in Houston to keep people off the streets at night.

However, the news is not all horrible.

OK, so I’m not the only one

Looks like the Washington Post is also having trouble avoiding the subject of Sarah Palin, even when they’re trying to steer the news in the opposite direction.  From Newsbusters:

60% of Washington Post’s Biden Tax Story Devoted to Palin

The WaPo headline is “Biden Releases His Tax Returns.”  The story is set mostly in Alaska.

Who is this “Bye-denn” of whom they speak?

Photo Break: White-throated sparrow

More birdblogging.  This is the first post-worthy picture I took with my current camera, this particular one with my Canon 28-135mm zoom lens (my regular zoom, not the Sigma).  Story behind the photo below the break.

White-throated sparrow

With friends like Air America…

OK, somebody please clear something up for me: exactly whose side is Air America’s Randi Rhodes on? (Hat tip: Radio Equalizer, via Hot Air.)

“Friends with all the teenage boys?”  Are you kidding me?  Does Rhodes really think she’s helping Barack Obama by casting Sarah Palin as a closet child molester?

I’m wondering if the same air of “inevitability” that did in Hillary Clinton and her supporters during the primary may well be choking Barack Obama’s bid now.  Explanation below the break.