From euphoria to doom — and do you think we should be optimistic or pessimistic?

Even though I haven’t been writing as much, I have kept up with my reading.  Indeed, keeping up with my reading is part of why I haven’t been writing.  There’s so much doom and gloom out there, I feel a little too oppressed to write.

One of the doomy and gloomy thoughts is that, even though Obama ought to be the perfectly beatable candidate, Republicans are once again snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.  (Jay Cost, as always, explains things well.)

I understand that conservatives are shying away from optimism, which can easily shade into dangerous hubris.  Pessimism is a safer place to be.  If you win, you’re pleasantly surprised.  If you lose, well, you knew it was coming.  What I fear, though, is pessimism can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, one that isn’t helped by the fact that the Republican candidates are engaged in a suicidal massacre while Obama goes around looking pretty in a suit.

Its early days yet, but I’d be very interested in your thoughts about the coming election.  Are you inclined to cautious optimism?  Do you think the naysayers are correct?  Should we stop worrying regardless because of that Mayan calendar thingy?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8SDztycKwY[/youtube]