SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 8:35 P.M. ET: 

SANDY – Thanks to our many readers who've expressed concern over our safety.  We're doing fine.  White Plains, where Urgent Agenda is written, is about 25 miles north of Manhattan and away from the coastal areas.  We're a small city, with most power lines underground.  Part of White Plains is dark, but we haven't been affected, probably because there's not been enough rain to flood the underground power stations.  But more than 100,000 residents of our county are without power.  Television coverage of the storm has been outstanding, and we're getting rapid information.  We also get robocalls from local officials, and they've been informative.  That's a good technique.  It's impossible to gauge any impact on the election.  It's possible some areas will still be without power next Tuesday.  It's New York, though, and a clear Obama state.  It's not close here.

OHIO – We reported earlier today that Rasmussen has Romney two points ahead in Ohio, but cautions that a third of voters have already voted, and were heavily for Obama.  Readers have written in, linking to articles downplaying the importance of the early vote.  Figures apparently are only speculative, and the Ohio secretary of state's office, run by the GOP, hasn't seen anything untoward or unusual.  We'll just have to wait for the full vote next Tuesday, but Ohio suddenly looks promising.  Nationally, Gallup has the race at 51-46, in favor of Romney.

DRIVEAWAY – Bloomberg ran a story reporting that Fiat is considering moving much of Jeep production to Italy, building models that would then be exported back to the United States.  This news, if spread around, could impact the electoral result in Ohio, which is an auto-manufacturing state.  It's especially poignant because Jeep is such an iconic American name, and President Obama has claimed that he's saved the American auto industry.  Of course, he's claimed he's saved everything else as well.

McCAIN ATTACKING – The GOP has no intention of letting up on the Libya scandal in the last week of the campaign.  Led by John McCain, Republicans are accusing the administration of either a massive cover-up or massive incompetence.  McCain hinted that he thought the scandal might cost Obama the election.  (I'm sure he said that with some relish.)  At the same time, it's clear the GOP is building toward a major and very public Congressional probe after election day, whether or not Obama is re-elected.  This won't go away.

October 29, 2012