The Super Bowl of politics

If Kansas is proving one thing today, it's that just because people don't live in a swing state that doesn't mean they're not really interested in this election. Wichita's seeing record lines and record turnout, and both Kerry and Bush supporters say they don't care if the state's destined to be red, they want their voices heard in the electoral college.

Politics seems to have made the leap from wonkishness to pop-culture phenomenon this year. Finally, presidential campaigns are getting the same respect as the Super Bowl, top-rated reality TV shows and other American touchstones! One gets the feeling that a lot of people are voting because they want to feel like part of it -- just like everyone wanted to talk about the O.J. trial, stuff like that. I'm not trying to make light of the whole situation -- high voter turnout is great! -- but I wonder if some of this passion is an attempt people are making to belong to something. If so, that's fine. In the grand scheme of things, the presidential race is indeed more important than the Super Bowl, and much less fattening.

All in all, elections are going smoothly here. Saw some voters in Red Sox caps, which I thought might qualify as electioneering, but for all I know they're Curt Schilling fans. All is well -- but tense -- on the Plains.