1. Massive turnout here in Media, Pa.'s south precinct — approaching 90 percent. The borough went for Kerry 2,045 to 974. We went for Joe Hoeffel by a 300-vote margin. Even poor Dr. Scoles — the former surgeon who stepped in when our original congressional challenger, Greg Philips, was shipped off for active duty in Iraq — carried the town against Representative-for-life Curt Weldon. We're thinking of making up T-shirts: "Don't blame me, I'm from Media South."
2. The race-baiting eye doctor Melissa Brown became a three-time loser, getting clobbered by Democrat Allyson Schwartz in Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district. (The GOP redrew the 13th in 2000 to make it tougher to win for Democrats — and the Democrats have carried it ever since.)
3. Barack Obama. 71 percent, baby — 71 percent.
4. No state elected to send Steve Carlton to represent them in the United States Senate. The Hall-of-fame pitcher is one of baseball's all-time greats, but he is also, sadly, full gonzo loony. In Lefty's case, at least, the American people seem to recognize that it is possible to respect and admire the athlete without feeling the need to send a befuddled man to Washington.
5. Watergate. Iran-Contra. Monica. That's what the last three second-terms in office have looked like for American presidents. As Kevin Drum has pointed out, the list of scandals ready to break is almost impressive.
6. They won most of the battles, but we had all the good songs.
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