The Herald is a Little Perplexed

I would expect that this would be the standard response around the world to the American Presidential election, which is pretty much the same as the anxiety attacks that have been plaguing us for the past few months. Why is this race even close? Oh, no, we're doomed! The Dems are gonna lose it again! Where's my passport? Should I build a bomb shelter? Help!

Yes, I know this is rediculous. By all rights this game should be a blowout, a five-touchtown victory. Why am I always reminded of the Minnesota Vikings' 15-1 season back in '98? Whatever. Don't panic. Do. Not. Panic.

You probably shouldn't read stuff like this if you're trying to calm down, though:

It seems incredible, but as the Democrats gather in Denver to anoint Barack
Obama, America could be on course to re-elect a Republican as their President.
Not just any Republican either, but a belligerent 71-year-old who can't remember
how many houses he owns, would happily nuke Iran and whose answer to global
warming is to drill for oil in environmentally sensitive areas off the coast of
America which don't even have much oil. But according to the polls, John McCain
is drawing level with Barack Obama, and even pulling ahead.

Really, America is a strange, strange country. After a disastrous and illegal
war, in which 4000 American soldiers have died, in the middle of an economic
crisis largely caused by the investment houses that finance the Republican
party, you would have thought it almost inconceivable that the Republicans could
be re-elected. Could any political brand be more toxic? Has any party in history
deserved to be thrown out at an election more than the Republicans in
2008?