Midday Open Thread

• Although it's still early, Kossack and notable statistician, poblano, has predicted an Obama win. He's not alone. Historians around the country also give McCain very little chance of winning in November.

  “This should be an overwhelming Democratic victory,” said Allan Lichtman, an American University presidential historian who ran in a Maryland Democratic senatorial primary in 2006. Lichtman, whose forecasting model has correctly predicted the last six presidential popular vote winners, predicts that this year, “Republicans face what have always been insurmountable historical odds.” His system gives McCain a score on par with Jimmy Carter’s in 1980.

• Speaking of poblano - a/k/a Nate Silver, congratulations are in order.  It was announced on Friday that he is teaming up with the Rasmussen Reports.

  Scott Rasmussen, President of Rasmussen Reports, noted that “Nate Silver and fivethirtyeight.com are a great example of how the online community is improving election coverage. His quantitative approach is a welcome addition to the debate and a valuable resource for any serious electoral analyst or armchair campaign manager.”
  Silver said, “I’m thrilled to be working with Rasmussen Reports in this endeavor. In addition to being one of the most active and reliable pollsters, Scott and his team have made every effort to consider other sources of information in order to provide their readers with the most comprehensive electoral picture possible”.

• Charlie Rose will host a health care discussion with Ezekiel, Ari, and Rahm Emanuel tomorrow. - DemFromCT
• Colin Powell told a crowd in Vancouver that he is considering voting for Barack Obama.

  He noted that although both he and Mr. Obama are black, he would not cast a vote for the Illinois senator on the basis of race. "I will vote for the individual I think that brings the best set of tools to the problems of 21st-century America and the 21st-century world regardless of party, regardless of anything else other than the most qualified candidate," Mr. Powell said at a news conference before delivering a speech to about 800 people attending a leadership forum at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

  Given that McCain recently admitted he has never used a computer, it's hard to imagine that he can even grasp the technology and tech driven economy of the 21st-century.

• While the midwest continues to flood and tens of thousands of Americans are losing their homes, GWB is having tea and crumpets with Queen Elizabeth. Deja vu.