There is no question

I have resolved not to start off this post with a question, such as “Can Obama Come Back?” or “Is Romney For Real?”, with the post concluding “maybe so, maybe no.” At this point, in one night Mitt Romney has energized the Republicans in a way that he very notably hadn’t done in the past five years. He’s ignited their will to believe, and they’re on a roll.

In the meantime, the Democrats, who ten days ago were feeling ten feet tall, now find the ground disappearing beneath their feet. As Romney energized the Republicans, Obama depressed the Democrats, a twofer no one was expecting. Democratic strength was, in large part, simply Republican weakness—a convention that didn’t jell, an unhappy campaign staff, and then the disastrous Boca Raton video, which suddenly threatened to turn a tight race into a rout. Now all the Democratic negatives—the worst sustained recession in living memory, a diffident candidate, and now the assassination—on 9/11, no less—of the American ambassador in Libya—are coming back to the fore.

So now we’re back to square one, except that the Republicans are feeling like winners and the Democrats like losers. And now, improbably enough, for the Democrats, a lot of the race is resting on the unlikely shoulders of Joe “Drunk Uncle” Biden, forced into a beauty contest with Paul Ryan. Unless Biden can pull a Romney, Ryan is likely to win just by showing up and smiling. Yeah, when you’re relying on Joe Biden to pull your chestnuts out of the fire, you’re likely to get burned. Go, Joe, go!