TMQ

Gregg Easterbrooke on the Redskins presidential barometer theory:

(Nov. 2, 2004) -- As everyone has heard all week, in every presidential election since 1936, if the Washington Redskins win their final home game before the Tuesday voting, the party in power keeps the White House; if the Redskins lose, the party out of power retakes the White House. In recent years, both political parties have become increasingly sophisticated about manipulating events -- polls, turnout, media coverage, "surprise" scandals and etc. Why are we so naive as to think both parties did not attempt to manipulate the Packers-Redskins outcome? On an exclusive basis, Tuesday Morning Quarterback has learned this is exactly what happened!
First, the Republican National Committee arranged for Joe Gibbs to come out of retirement and take over the Redskins -- talk about clever long-term planning. But the Democratic National Committee made secret unregulated donations to the Green Bay Packers' salary cap, nullifying the Gibbs edge.

Prior to the game, the Redskins placed prized No. 1 draft pick Sean Taylor on the inactive list, owing to a driving arrest. Tuesday Morning Quarterback has learned that the Democratic National Committee hired a Taylor look-alike to drive around the Washington area, hoping to get arrested. Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee hired a Brett Favre look-alike to wander through the Pentagon, sticking his head into meetings and saying, "I would have found the explosives." This double was supposed to get arrested too, but instead, Pentagon workers mistook him for the real Favre and asked for autographs.

Bush destroyed many bellwhethers on Tuesday.