There have been no lack of attempts to predict how Hurricane Sandy might impact the election. But as usual, I think Charles Krauthammer might have the best take:
“Romney clearly had the momentum, it slowed down but it was still heading in his direction. It’s not clear what happens when the country sort of wakes up out of this in three days and restarts attention on the campaign, whether the momentum will be gone or not. I mean, that’s an open question.”
That’s my take, too. I don’t know that this makes us yearn more for big government. But I do know that the national media outlets — primarily based on the east coast — are devoting a lot of time to covering this disaster (as well they should.)
Romney seemed to be gaining steam as Election Day approached, so anything that changes the subject or diverts attention from the campaign — as this storm surely has — is probably a net negative.
UPDATE: A smart reader emails this:
“In 2001 Mark Warner and Mark Early froze the governors races for weeks and when the restart came it was as if nothing had changed. Warner was moving and ahead before the the 9/11 attacks and when the campaign resumed he was still moving. Romney is moving right along and Obama is hamstrung on how to stop it.”