SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 9:18 P.M. ET:

ROMNEY ADVANCES – A good day for Mitt.  Both the Rasmussen and Gallup surveys now have him in the lead.  Rasmussen has it 47% Romney, 44% Obama, whereas Gallup has it at 46% Romney, 45% Gallup.  Rasmussen polls likely voters, whereas Gallup polls registered voters.  Likelies tilt slightly more Republican.  Obviously, both these polls are very close and provide no reason for premature champagne, but we should be encouraged.  Obama just can't get to the 50% point needed for re-election. 

JEB FOR MARCO – Jeb Bush has made official his support for Marco Rubio for vice president.  He said today that he gave that advice to Romney.  I happen to agree.  I think Rubio would be a dynamic and effective choice, could secure Florida (he is a US senator from that state), and assist the GOP in making inroads in Hispanic communities.  He is one of the most effective campaigners around today, and I would trust his judgment if he became president. 

GREECE APPROACHES DESPERATION – Just days after the Greek prime minister admitted his country is in a depression – with a D – a British analysis tells us that Greece may run out of money by August 20th.  The country, a member of NATO, would then have to go bankrupt.  That could set off still one more European financial crisis, less than three months before the American presidential election.

EXPENSIVE NOTHINGNESS – The recent contest to recall Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker cost $81-million, smashing the state's previous spending record...and it wasn't even a regular election.  It was only the third election to recall a governor in American history.  Frankly, it was a farce.  Walker had done nothing to prompt the severe sanction of a recall, except to antagonize some of the liberal establishment in Wisconsin, which believes it rules by Divine right.  The people of Wisconsin apparently disagreed.

July 25,  2012