True story. On Friday, August 9th 2008, myownself, Juanita and her Bubba went to lunch. The headquarters was opened and manned so we took a lunch break. It was my first time at this Chinese buffet in Rosenberg. But it wasn’t the first time I went to a Chinese buffet that had TVs mounted around the room tuned to the news.

That afternoon, sitting with platesful of buffet dishes, we viewed a news report that John McCain had selected Sarah Palin to be his running mate.

I looked slack-jawed at Juanita then at equally shocked Bubba. And almost simultaneously we all stated the obvious: “Obama’s just won the election.”

And like it was 14 years ago, Sarah Palin is the gift that keeps on giving. Who on Earth could run for the one Congress seat allotted to Alaska, out spend her two opponents by a lot, and get creamed by a considerably less well-known Native American Democrat? Answer: Sarah Palin.

Congressman-elect Mary Peltola, is the first Democrat to win that seat in 50 years. Granted it’s only to complete Don Young’s last term, but the same three candidates will face-off in November for a full term. Only the former half governor could have achieved this feat.

Or am I being too pessimistic? Is this a continuation of the “Sarah Phenomenon” where she stinks up any given room by her mere presence? Or is this a continuation of the trend of the special election results we’ve all witnessed this year, where expectations of being handed a mid-term shellacking by the party not in power, is simply not happening? Is it that simple?