Don't Mess With Taxes

Are the conflicting presidential poll numbers driving you crazy?

Forget 'em.

This is America, where athletic champions get invited to the White House to meet the president.

So I'm turning to sports for an indication as to whether Barack Obama or Mitt Romney will win on Nov. 6 and spend the next four years lauding the accomplishments of U.S. athletes in special photo-op ceremonies.

Obama is a fan of the Chicago sports franchises, but since neither the White Sox nor the Cubs made it to the World Series, the prez probably was glad to see the San Francisco Giants win Major League Baseball's championship.

When the National League team wins in a presidential election year, most of the time so does the Democratic candidate. That's been the case in 11 of the last 15 elections, including each of the last three.

So sorry, American League Champion Detroit Tigers. Obama pushed through the automakers' bailout, but he no doubt was cheering for the NL Giants.

Obama got another sporting boost on Saturday night when Alabama pulled out a victory over LSU. It took a late-game drive to eke out the win. 

Given how tight this year's presidential match-up is, that game's ending is fitting.

The prez and his fans, however, don't care how close the game was. All that matters to them is the final score. And it was good for the Dems.

So far, the sporting results are positive for the incumbent.

But hold on Romney fans. There's always the Redskins Rule.

For all but one of the last 17 presidential elections since 1937, a Washington Redskins' victory just before the vote has signalled a win for the party in power.

When the NFL team representing the nation's capital lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Monday night game before the 2008 election, it was a bad omen for the GOP. And Obama did go on to a landslide victory over Republican nominee Sen. John McCain.

This Sunday, however, the 'Skins fell to the Carolina Panthers.

Was that the Romney campaign I heard cheering for the cats?

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