In the year that was primed to be either the Revolution or the Year of the Woman (aka Breaking the Glass Ceiling Part 2), we'd deviated into the Year of the Pussy - and lots of it - grabbing, bragging, bleeding, breeding - especially with the Republican candidates misadventures in misogyny coming up along with the expected parade of Bill's women brought to bear.

And just when it seemed like both Michelle Obama and the alliance of Nasty Woman would reclaim the word, claim the higher ground, we get our delayed October Non-Surprise - once again, as promised, or "same as it always is", meet the Dicks.

Did Bill pave Hillary's way to the White House? His impeachment didn't help, nor overall did his affairs/accusers, triangulation along with NAFTA & the crime bill have haunted her as once did Whitewater and her failed attempt at health care. And then there's the Iraq vote & Libya invasion on her own. Thinking back on it, it's a bit hard to figure out how she even got here. (Hint: she's a process person)

When the steaming entrails of his slaughtered campaign are fully sorted through, I really hope that Trump's remarkably stupid critiques of the pending Mosul operation stand out as causing every US veteran to vote against him and every Republican on the ticket (on grounds of contagious stupidity...)

I got to thinking about Republicans being "strict constructionists" when it comes to the Supreme Court, and it seems true - by the time they finish obstructing Hillary's choices, the court'll be back down to its original 6 members.

Much as I love Michelle's speeches and support and her example as a fun and instructive First Lady, she helps draw attention to one key problem we have with politics, where people confuse giving a great speech with being a great representative.or lawmaker or administrator. Our contests are largely about speechifying, about exciting the masses - while governing is largely a closed-off office matter. The only exceptions are that occasionally some actual policies slip through in the campaign speeches so the public can vet these (if the candidates aren't lying or hedging their bets, the usual assumption), as well as some of the clever positioning between candidates gives an idea how they might deal with world leaders in office. Despite Michelle's successful singing, dancing and health programs, these aren't success factors for President quite yet.

Trump shows up at Gettysburg.

He feigns to stand in the shoes of Abraham Lincoln.

We are told that this great man will speak of his first 100 days as President of the United States of America.

(Trump is on the right...I think!)

It's been a pretty uninspiring campaign season, waiting from the end of the primaries to the convention buildup, then watching Hillary fritter her lead away on Clinton Foundation questions until it looked like she might be a goner - and then video by video, confession after confession, Trump melted down. Or is that how it went?

6 weeks ago Hillary let her "Deplorables" tag slip, and much of her fan base and hopefuls let out a collective gasp - it's one thing to attack Trump, but not his followers and independents she was trying to attract. After all, it was common knowledge that millennials were none too thrilled with her, so she'd be making good on that Republican Lite reputation - only here she was pissing in that stream too. And classic Hillary style - not "jerk", "low-life" or even "vulgarian" - she chose a word that half of America had to look up and the other half pondered whether it was even a noun. But most felt it was a way too risky move.

Trump’s latest tweets are relevant. Hillary’s emails are relevant. Paid speeches? Financial ties to Moscow? Bitter, sexist remarks? All relevant.

But for every news story that sheds light on these candidates’ characters, several more stories go unwritten — particularly about how this election will impact America’s aging population, and to what extent senior citizens will be cared for in either a Clinton or Trump administration.

IT'S NOT OVER TILL ITS OVER!

The Vikings became 5-0 by three PM today.

So I streamed 8 hours of Netflix (before and after).

But I kept checking in with Cable News foreshadowing the inevitable storm.

Just about an hour ago Trump sends out this video with him setting with victims of Bill Clinton thrity and forty years ago.

AMAZING

In what looks like the most amazing Rick-Roll of all time, we have to come to grips with the possibility that Trump is creating his own October Surprise with the results he wants. While some have speculated it was his wife who gave up his 20-year-old tax form, it would be much easier for him to do it. The recording? Pull it out of his archive.

Why would Donald go to such effort to self-destruct? Because he was never a real candidate to begin with. Everything he's done was a hyperinflated version of what a real stupid conservative Republican might do - turning up the IOKIYAR meme to 11 was sheer brilliance. Or at least good fun.. That's right, Donald Trump is the political equivalent of Spinal Tap - Spinal Trump, anyone? - compleat with little miniature stonehenges and a bizarre appearance at the Armory. And a tribute to fat bottom girls. 

Before we too enthusiastically condemn Trump's stupid remark let's be reasonably honest with ourselves. There are more than a few men, of both parties, who could have been taped at some time saying similar .

Trump himself claims he heard Bill Clinton saying worse on the golf course. Could be.