Today's the day, according to most press accounts:
Crips founder Stanley "Tookie" Williams is scheduled for execution tomorrow (Tuesday) -- and Gov. Arnold "One-Terminator" Schwarzenegger must decide whether or not to spare his life.
The California Supreme Court has refused to stay the execution. So it's all up to Gov. Muscles.
What does your crystal ball say?
For many, the crystal is pretty cloudy.
At recent gatherings with my activist Democrat friends, I've been surprised at the range of opinions about what Gov. Muscles will do, and why.
We were all caught off guard lately, when the Governator hired long-time Democratic operative Susan Kennedy as his new Chief of Staff. Democrats have been both fuming and rejoicing over this new tack for the middle. Some view it as an acknowledgement of Arnold's defeat in the special election, and a desire to get off the damaged GOP gravy train.
Others are more sanguine, suspecting that this is another Rove-directed effort to bamboozle Californians.
And just about everyone, right and left, is pissed at Susan Kennedy.
Add the Tookie Williams' dilemma to that volatile mix of opinions, and it's clear that this particular moment may be the most important of Schwarzenegger's brief political career. If he pardons Williams, Gov. Muscles will alienate every pro-death penalty voter in the state.
If he doesn't pardon Williams, he risks riots in Los Angeles, and the permanent disaffection of many of the moderate voters he has targeted with the recent hiring of Susan Kennedy.
I'm guessing that Maria Shriver doesn't hold as much sway over her 'roid-enraged husband as others are speculating -- and that Arnold will throw the switch, no matter what. He's not going to squander all the wet work he's done for Karl Rove and the GOP over a black gang leader.
What do you think?