Be. Not. Afraid.

JB over at Balkinization has some words of comfort for progressives who find themselves staring in disbelief at the GOP-spawned miasma oozing out of their television:

...the 10 day rolling average of the Gallup poll is pretty stable, with Obama having a modest 3 to 4 point lead over a fairly long span of time.

Fundamental features of the political situation-- a weak economy, an unpopular war, and the fact that the Republicans have held office for eight years-- suggest that if nothing catastrophic happens, Barack Obama will win the election in November. He may win it in a landslide, but the more likely result is that he will win by a margin of 3 to 4 points-- pretty much where he is now.

McCain will continue to thrash like a drowning animal, but all it will net him is the bemused attention of public that has already made up its mind.

No need to get cocky, or complacent, folks. But despite McCain's insistent faith in the "latest poll," he's the one with something to prove to America - and he just treading water.

So sayeth Emory University Prof. Alan Abromowitz.

The horserace is what we've always known it was: horsesh!t.