It's been a beautiful autumn, heading to the political apocalypse.
The Democratic Party's panicking, scrambling to hold on to formerly safe House districts and governorships as the Republican tide rises, even after Jan. 6. GOP candidates who deny Joe Biden won the presidency aim to seize power over elections.
As time runs out before Tuesday's election, Bernie Sanders and others bemoan the Democrats' muddled messaging on the economy, abortion and climate change. Barack Obama, Sanders and Biden rush to bolster faltering Democratic campaigns after early voting has been going on for weeks.
Why didn't they take action months ago? As Democrats launch their belated fire drill, the Republicans have convinced voters that the economy is horrible and crime rampant.
New York Times economics columnist Paul Krugman keeps assuring his readers that inflation is under control, employment stable, crime rates falling.
For many voters, reality doesn't match Krugman's ivory tower views.
Krugman has admitted he was wrong on inflation's rise. Further damaging Krugman's credibility, he claimed this week that inflation is under control just a day before the Fed further raised interest rates to cool rising prices.
It's not surprising that conservative Washington Post columnist George Will has turned against Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, appealing to them this week not to seek re-election in 2024. Will in his column exposed Harris' alarming incoherence, citing several devastating quotes from public events. The Democratic Party needs a new generation of leaders.
Biden has even lost liberal Post columnist Eugene Robinson. In his Friday column, Robinson cited Biden's speech this week in which the president warned that the GOP threatens American democracy. While agreeing with Biden's assessment, Robinson pointed out that voters are more concerned with the economy, and suggested that Biden would have been more effective pushing his economic accomplishments.
As global carbon emissions soar unabated, the climate change-denying GOP surges. They plan to cut Social Security and Medicare, and cause political turmoil. They plan to cut aid for Ukraine, giving Putin the victory he yearns for. They wish to end American democracy.
The days are beautiful in the last days of the republic.