The editors of the conservative publication founded by Bob Novak, the Evans-Novak Political Report (ENPR), today are wondering aloud whether an "al Qaeda terrorist attack timed for the election" could turn the race for John McCain.
"While 'it's over' has become the resigned refrain of many Republicans, the race certainly is not over. Three weeks is a long time, and anything can happen," chirps ENPR, in its October 16 edition, just emailed nationwide. Anything? Like, say, a bloody terrorist attack on the USA? That's exactly what ENPR is thinking of:
"It's hard to imagine the nation's attention diverting from the economic mess right now, but again, we have nearly three weeks until Election Day. An al Qaeda terrorist attack timed for the election, unfortunately, is not unthinkable. That could be what it takes for McCain to win."
ENPR admits, "Republicans desperately need some sort of catalyst to turn things around. The GOP, however, has ceded economic and fiscal issues to the Democrats by embracing the bailout."
And therefore, absent a terrorist attack "timed for the election," what does ENPR see as the outlook? "An Electoral College landslide is in the offing, paired with Democratic tsunamis in congressional races." ENPR forecasts that -- unless there's a bloody terrorist attack "timed for the election" -- Democrats will come close to 60 Senate seats, maybe more, and also pick up gains of 20 seats or more in the House.
Surely ENPR is not issuing an imprecatory prayer of sorts, egging al Qaeda to attack the USA sometime in the final 20 days before the election?
ENPR does not directly address that question. Instead, they conclude, in their October 16 edition (apparently posted online on October 15, but emailed nationwide the following day), "The final debate tonight [sic] is not McCain's last chance to change the race, but it's his best chance."
His best chance -- apart from a bloody al Qaeda terrorist attack against the USA, "timed for the election"?
Well, sorry, ENPR. The debate was already held last night. And the polls show that Obama won by a landslide, among independent voters and others who watched the debate.
Note: Due to his recently diagnosed brain tumor, Bob Novak has retired from his ENPR column and no longer serves as editor of the Evans-Novak Political Report.
So the shame is on Eagle Publishing, which cranks out ENPR under the leadership of Senior Reporter Timothy P. Carney, a protege of Bob Novak. Carney is a contributing editor of Human Events, and a weekly columnist for the Washington Examiner.