Take Five -- Sliding Land Edition

1. If -- when -- Barack Obama wins tonight, remember that he will do so in large part because he is, quite simply, a much, much, much better candidate than John McCain, which is how this usually works out. He had better answers than McCain did (note = "better" just means sounded better, not necessarily better policy-wise), he came across better to average voters than McCain did and, in many ways, he came across as much more presidential than McCain did. Does this mean he will be a better president than McCain would? Dunno. But he's got the candidate part down pat.

2. George W. Bush beat John McCain in 2000. He did it again this year.

3.

SO IF, AS SEEMS LIKELY, MCCAIN LOSES TOMORROW, people will be blaming him and Sarah Palin. But let me point out that the Republican Party has been exhibiting a bizarre death wish since 2005. And you can't blame either of them for that. . . . -- Glenn Reynolds

4. Every "yes-McCain-can-win" scenario I'm reading seems to have the following as its underlying theme: that there are these hordes of (presumably) white voters out there who are either not telling pollsters what they really think or they are not being counted at all. I don't see it. I will say that I would not surprised to learn that Obama won the total "early vote" and McCain wins--or at least draws even--with today's vote. It won't be enough.

5.James Lileks has brought his Screedblog back, just in time. I'm going to need it.