If, 4 years ago, polling looked like it does today (it didn't), I would've spent the week before the election fretting about some last minute external event or revelation which would suddenly cause voters to change their minds in large numbers. Certainly something like that is possible, but it just seems less likely. I'm not quite sure why. Maybe it's because the McCain campaign seems to not know how to exploit such things. Maybe it's because of more early voting (or my being more aware of the extent of early voting). Maybe it's just a bit harder, relative to then, to seize on one thing and have it drive the conversation for a week. Or maybe I'm wrong!