>Hey Mike,
>
>>Quite a difference between Dean and Obama. Obama won the nomination, overcoming a presumptive nominee and practically the entire party apparatus initially arrayed against him.
>
>Yes. The Net-based roots were all for Dean but that couldn't help him when the general Democratic fold decided to tack centrist. Honestly, I still don't know how Hillary lost this one and I think it'll take some time and analysis by folks way more astute than me to figure that one out as well.
>
>>Obama is no more liberal than McCain is conservative. They are both tacking to the center, as all candidates do.
>
>Didn't I say that? But who is the most believable as a centrist?
>
>>I was going to decline the bet, then just thought of one that might be kind of fun. How about this? -- if McCain wins, the day after election day I will wear (all day!) a shirt that says "John Koziol is smarter than me." And if Obama wins, you will do the same except the shirt will say "Mike Beane is smarter than me." Deal?
>>
>
>Deal! Whomever loses must wear the shirt and post a pic here on the UT! Bet on!
>

OK. I admit I am not as confident as I was before the choice of Joe Biden. But it's a fun bet so let's see what happens.