What we are witnessing this year is the climactic and final battle for control of the Democratic Party. It started in 1940 with the nomination of Henry Wallace as FDR's VP. Wallace proved to be quite bizarre and was forced out in 1944 in favor of Truman. It was rejoined in 1968 when the left wing of the party attempted a coup-de-main in Chicago. The DLC (Democratic Leadership Council) was formed in 1990 to specifically wage this battle. Bill Clinton was their chosen weapon.

This year is the perfect storm. The chickens of identity group politics have come home to roost. The DLC wing was stuck with HRC whose husband had brought great shame on the party. Think not? How many R's would have voted for Nixon if he had tried a comeback? Obama won, barely, as the "anyone but Hillary" candidate.

The left consolidated its power in the liberal enclaves of the big cities and racially gerrymandered Congressional districts. These seniority heavy pols were selected and reelected by the groups - labor, plaintiff bar, environmentalists, civil rights, feminists, planned parenthood...

The battle is joined but reality sucks. Iraq is going sour for the left. The Russians just made a $100 million ad buy for McCain. Gasoline is $4 a gallon and Obama holds up a tire gauge. Pelosi, Reid and other party leaders sense impending disaster. They don't know what to do. Deer in the headlights? They should be so lucky.

Yes, there are serious matters to be decided in this election. But, we will survive no matter who wins. We always have and I pray that we always will.

The big question is whether the Democratic Party will return to its former greatness or skew to the radical left and destroy the precious political stability with which we have been blessed.