A new dawn, a new day?

Well, I was waiting until the senate race in Virginia was concluded, but so razor-thin is the result that it might not be until the middle of November before all the votes are counted and the end of the month if a recount is declared and I'm not going to wait that long until I post on this. I was going with the majority of pundits that the Democrats would win the House of Representatives, gain some ground in the senate but not win it and George Bush would treat the result in the way that Ted Haggard uses methampthetamines to get high before he had gay sex i.e retaining control of the Senate gives Bush a mandate would be the spin. But the Democratic scale of victory is sweeping and they might still get effective control over the Senate as well. This despite the Democrats having no coherent strategy of their own, but casting the poll as a referendum on the president and the Iraq war, though considering the notorious incompetence of Democratic party bosses maybe this is just as well. I never thought the Democrats could do so well - let's hope they use their new power wisely once they are installed.

Alex Ferguson's first game in his first year in charge ended in embarrassing defeat. The knight's first game in his twenty-first year has ended in even more ignominious fashion. Big name players could not overcome a lead Southend held from the 27th minute onwards. Even when not belonging to the Championship club one can savour it.

And a rare thing indeed. Ahead of the Ashes the Aussies (through Shane Warne) showing humility. Will the world of sport never cease to surprise me?