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The late Richard Avedon's portraits of the election season run for 32 pages in this week's New Yorker. They are great. A slide show can be entered at this page, a 1958 profile of the photographer who died on October 1.
So, this is the point in a tight presidential race when, from a journalist's vantage point, the true believers on either side appear to lose what little perspective they had left. Campaign managers become terse and paranoid, the mail and blogging more certain and less reasoned. I always respect their passion, but almost feel sorry for the truest believers who really don't get why anyone would vote for the other guy. They can't grasp that, whether they are for Bush or Kerry, millions of smart, moral, patriotic (and any other adjective) Americans are on the other side. Factor in the millions who have doubts about the guy they will vote for, or who won't bother to cast a ballot, and it's simple arithmetic: if you are a total defender of either Kerry or Bush and vote a party line, you are in the minority among adult Americans. But don't bother advising them to chill out for a few weeks.
With five days left, let's check in on 30 local bloggers for whom politics is the passion. Here's what some of them are talking about:
Kausfiles: LAT lacks confidence in its poll.
Little Green Footballs: The essential weakness of John Kerry’s campaign.
Matt Welch: Trying to talk me out of Kerry.
Marc Cooper:Did Dubya kill off American conservatism?
Hugh Hewitt: Huge burst of momentum in Bush numbers.
Political Animal: Bush's Orwellian talent for blaming Kerry.
Roger L. Simon: Insufferable self-importance of mainstream media.
Volokh Conspiracy: Ohio absentee ballots.
Arianna Huffington: How I'm voting.
Cathy Seipp: The Ann Coulter fan club.
Joshuah Bearman: Florida by the numbers.
Mark A.R. Kleiman: Late-hit gay-bashing by BushCo.
Calblog: Unhappy about David Dreier going after KFI's John & Ken.
Brian Linse: Straight Demo ticket.
Moxie: Making fun of liberals.
Smythe's World: "Competence and security won out over tax cuts and future clients."
Patio Pundit: "No one knows anything, but that doesn't stop 'em from talking."
PrestoPundit: Surprise attack against democracy.
Patterico: LAT seems concerned about Bush win.
BoifromTroy: "Drumroll please as I give you my endorsements."
Xrlq: Stupid Voter Tricks.
Politics in the Zeros: Florida Repubs trying to steal election again.
Lonewacko: Sacrificing David Dreier.
Scoobie Davis: Quick notes on the Sinclair machine.
Brian Flemming: Anyone from L.A. headed to a swing state?
Professor Bainbridge: Compiling the vote choices of California bloggers.
Greg Dewar: Ensuring Kerry picks a progressive cabinet.
Travis La France: Manning LaPhone bank.
American Digest: Large liberal media just keeps tanking.
John Gabree: Fraud and electile dysfunction.
Also, Huffington's office staff advises readers of her blog not to accept her offer of a ride to the polls, "if they expect to arrive at their polling place safely." Finally, bookmark it: Loyola Law School election expert Rich Hasen's blog, for quick legal analysis of what appears to be the inevitable voting snafus.