More election predictions

> Here's one from Ben Weasel:

Regardless of who wins, the other side will spend the next four years bitching about it and demonizing the opposition. The insanity we've all been subjected to since 2000 will rise to a new level and whoever's sitting in the White House will rue the day he decided to run for public office. If Kerry wins, he will be attacked viciously by the right every day he is in office. If he's unlucky enough to be on camera during a terrorist attack, the wacko bloggers will have their stopwatches out to time how long it takes for him to jump into action; Fox News will have to decide whether to broadcast his State of the Union addresses with superimposed devil horns on his head or cloven hooves below his ankles. Every decision he makes - especially on foreign policy - will be questioned, ridiculed and offered as evidence that he's an America-hating poof. If Bush wins... well, if Bush wins, there will be riots in the streets by next summer; the new left will make the hippies look like paragons of sanity and rationality. In either case I expect American politics to get a lot nastier over the next four years and I'm not looking forward to having to deal with the fall-out.

> And here's one concerning Hillary Clinton, should Kerry win:

The crowd stomped and cheered as Hillary Clinton arrived on stage. "Go Hillary 2008," a woman yelled. There were a few startled giggles at this off-message cry, for this was a John Kerry for President rally. For Hillary to stand next time, the Massachusetts senator would have to lose now; it was officially unthinkable for Democrats.

In the audience at a community college in the battleground state of Pennsylvania last week were hundreds of Hillary fans who were making do with Kerry.

"Early on I wanted her to run but I've really grown to like this guy," said Phyllis Shaken, 61, a psychologist. "I can't say I like him the way I like Hillary and Bill, but I admire the way he has withstood the pressure."

Hillary Clinton has been watching this election intently. Should Kerry win on Tuesday, her own presidential aspirations are toast. Barring some catastrophe, Kerry will go on to seek re-election in four years' time.