At the height of their World War II expansion, as they prepared the assault on Midway Island, the Japanese admiralty conducted a  wargame. The mock battle pitted junior officers commanding the American fleet against the best minds of the Imperial Navy. 

Utterly enthralled in their mistaking a tailwind for talent stupor, they even included ships that had already been sunk in the exercise!

In an ominous portent, those junior officers decimated the Japanese task force. Believing themselves to be invulnerable and ignoring that lesson, the Japanese pressed forward with the same invasion plan. We all know how that turned out.

Fast forward to 2012 and Republicans are engaging in the same kind of circular thinking. Don’t like the presidential polling numbers? Then simply reject the entire poll! Better yet, turn it into a conspiracy where the “left leaning” media is purposely overpolling Democrats because they want Obama to win.

Even though Fox News pollsters are coming up with virtually the same results, folks like Rush Limbaugh, Karl Rove and Romney adviser Ed Gilespie are following that famous Mythbuster Adam Savage’s advice when he said, “I reject your reality and substitute my own.”

Like a snake obliviously chowing down on it’s own tail, they’re starting to believe their own spin! It’s as if the GOP simply can’t admit they’re wrong about anything even if it means their imminent self-destruction.

Don’t do anything drastic like adjust the game plan of a campaign that’s clearly in a tailspin. No! Simply say that everyone else is wrong despite whatever mountain of evidence to the contrary there might be.

In a supreme irony, two Republicans known for their scorch and burn personalities actually are making some surprising last minute campaign adjustments.

Having fallen behind Tammy Duckworth by a whopping 14 points, loudmouth deadbeat dad Congressman Joe Walsh is suddenly trying to sound like the elder statesman. Claiming he’d  take a “more evolved’ approach if elected, Walsh said he’d dial it down and make a more bipartisan effort.

Equally as surprising, that Indiana blowhard Tea Partier, Richard Mourdock, who unseated long-time Senator Dick Lugar by declaring compromise was for sissies and liberally applying the RINO label, has suddenly changed his tune.

Falling behind Democratic challenger Joe Donnelly by two points in a traditionally GOP state (Romney is up by 12 points in IN), Mourdock is suddenly lurching towards the center to try and attract those moderate Lugar voters. Good luck with that Rich!

Of course, these faux political shifts run the risk of alienating their Tea Party base. Can you say hoist by your own petard!

All I can say is, this entire GOP presidential campaign has been particularly fascinating to watch.

Why is State Senate candidate Jim Oberweis suddenly playing peace envoy for that real precinct committeeman piece of work, Ellen Nottke? He’s lately been leaning on KC GOP Chair Barb Wojnicki and Sugar Grove County Board Member Melisa Taylor to forgive and forget.

Considering Nottke’s scorch and burn personality, I don’t see any forgiving and forgetting happening any time soon. Ms. Nottke certainly wouldn’t be so magnanimous. Remember, this is the woman who, after temporarily losing her PC seat, allegedly wiped the KC Republican central committee computers clean.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, word on the street is, should he win (and he certainly assumes he will) Oberweis is considering hiring Nottke to run his local office. Oh yeah! That’s who you want interfacing with your constituents. A woman with all the tact of the bubonic plague.

The question is, why is Jim doing this? What’s the point? As one source said, socially, he can be as dumb as a bag of rocks. At the rate he’s alienating people, I’m starting to think Corinne Pierog wipes the floor with him in November.

This will take you to a great CNN column by GOP strategist Alex Castellanos in which he echoes my “Republicans spend way too much time preaching to the choir” contention. Having taken a hit from the blowhard to end all blowhards, Rush Limbaugh, Castellanos cogently explains why he said Mitt Romeny’s rallies are a waste of time.

Alex Castellanos

The contender should be photographed walking the streets of the inner city, talking to people in the unemployment line, attending a baseball game, and shaking Hispanic worker’s hands. But instead, he holds the same rally in every city in every battleground state.

Even GWB blathered about being a “compassionate conservative.”

And just who attends those Republican love fests? The people who were already gonna vote for Mitt! John McCain and that vapid Sarah Palin fell into this very same trap. Castellanos goes on to point out that Romney is actually doing better in states where he isn’t holding rallies!

I understand it’s quite the ego boost to have a crowd hanging on your every word, but that kind of thinking won’t get you elected president – or even governor (just ask Bill Brady). Republicans have to appeal to independents and disaffected Democrats to win a statewide or national election.Thus,  in order for Mitt to prevail in November, he has to convince a small percentage of likely Obama voters that he’s the better choice.

But stumping before no one but the faithful ain’t gonna do it. It’s almost as if Republicans are starting to believe their own propaganda. It’s as if they believe all they have to do is appeal to folks in their “bubble,” as Bill Maher calls it, and they’ll somehow live happily ever after.

As long as Rush Limbaugh and his slimier cohort Ann Coulter keep “advising” the Republican Party, we’ll be having Democrats for presidents, which doesn’t necessarily make me feel any better.

Yesterday’s Patch column covers my thoughts on the Geneva Mayoral race so far. For the first time in years, Kevin Burns is vulnerable, but we need ONE decent candidate to oppose him.

Geneva Alderman Rich Marks

Personally, I don’t have a problem with Kevin, but three terms in office is more than enough for anyone. It’s time for some new blood and I think 2nd Ward Alderman Rich Marks fits that bill perfectly. He’s served well, he’s a fiscal conservative, he doesn’t owe anyone anything, and his comportment is more suited to the job.

Ah! But nothing is ever that simple is it? Former 1st Ward Alderman William Barclay is doing his usual hem and hawing act as he considers taking a run a Kevin. But he can’t win anything above alderman and we all know Kevin Burns wins any three way race.

Although, apparently the column got Barclay to come out on Patch and say he might run.

Anyway, read the column for more details.

Sorry for being a little lax dear readers. But here’s Monday’s Courier News column which covers my thoughts on the no 9/11 moment of silence at St. Charles East High School controversy. As if school administrators need to waste their time on this one. 

My first contention is that any high school student who wants to take a moment of silence can do so any time they feel the need. The second is that, while I will defend your right to practice your religion to my own death,  I’m not bound by your belief system. And the fact that I may or may not believe what you believe should in no way diminish you.

But it always seems to do just that. Why is it that so many self-stated serious religious folk can only find spiritual safety in numbers? Perhaps their faith was never that strong to begin with.

Apparently, not everything that happens in Vegas stays there.

After Green Day lead vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong thought the iHeartRadio Festival people were cutting the group’s set short, he issued a profanity laden rant, made fun of Justin Bieber, smashed his guitar, and flipped the crowd the bird on the way out.

Despite the fact that sounds like me on a good day, Armstrong is headed directly to rehab.

What the heck is this world coming to when punk rock stars run to rehab for acting just like punk rock stars?  I’d have been disappointed if he didn’t flip me off.  Next thing you know columnists won’t be allowed to drink too much tequila, swear at their editors, and generally make a pain in the ass of themselves.

BTW, I’m listening to Green Day’s latest, Uno, as we speak and it’s amazing. I suppose we can only wish Billie Joe the best.

If you’ve watched a show like People’s Court for any length of time, you probably realize that 75 percent of winning your court case is knowing when to shutup and let your opponent hang themselves.  Thats exactly what Seth Meyers said on Weekend update this week. 

When you’re up in the polls, when your opponent is sticking his foot in his mouth at every turn,  when the other guy’s  campaign is using terms like “reboot,” “inelegantly stated” and “defining moment”  SHUTUP! Thank the fates things are going your way and, like a batter facing a wild pitcher, don’t start swinging until he finds the strike zone.

Every politician within the sound of my voice really needs to watch this video.

Today’s Beacon-News column on the hearsay law used to nail Drew Peterson is certainly getting some play – in both emails and post column comments. One of those comments comes from defense team leader Joel Brodsky, who castigates the press for “almost always” getting it wrong.

I suppose if there’s anyone who knows about “getting it wrong,” it’s him. He and his cohorts certainly played the press to the hilt when it suited them, much to the detriment of their client. Perhaps if Brodsky exhibited this kind of sudden due diligence during the trial they might’ve come out on top. 

To answer his and some readers’ contention – Yes! – I lumped two hearsay law subversions into one for purposes of an 800 word column, but the facts remain the same. The state of Illinois changed the law to convict one man and, when that temporarily failed, the prosecution shifted their strategy with the appellate court buying their abridgement of the “forfeiture by wrongdoing” statute to let Stacy Peterson’s statements come in anyway.

T’S THE SAME FRICKEN’ THING. Even Brodsky has cited Drew’s Law in post trial interviews. The defense could’ve gone over the appeals court’s heads, but they decided to move forward with the trial instead, which was almost as bad a decision as putting that divorce attorney on the stand. And Brodsky has the nerve to say the press never takes responsibility for their actions? (We haven’t seen you cop to that bonehead move yet have we Joel?)

The bottom line is, this hearsay precedent is exceedingly dangerous and this verdict will be overturned on appeal because even the right leaning U.S. Supreme Court still takes a dim view on hearsay testimony.

Just to whet your appetite, it’ll be worth your while to pick up the Sunday Beacon-News. Retired Judge Don Fabian weighed in on my previous Drew Peterson trial column, specifically, on the hearsay law change used to convict him.

Since you’ve been so patient with my ramblings, I thought I’d give you all a break and let someone else do most of the talking. Rest assured the Judge’s opinion is fascinating.

And while you’re at it, buy a copy of Monday’s Courier-News too. We’ll cover the fact that freedom of religion really means freedom from religion.

Some St. Charles East upperclassmen were perturbed because their school didn’t call for an official 9/11 moment of silence. My feeling is that any high school student can take a moment of silence any time they want. Why does it only have meaning when there’s a mindless herd?

Remember! Buy a newspaper (or in this case two).

Whenever a candidate comes to me for advice (and it happens more often than you’d think), the first thing I tell ’em is to engage the press. And I try to explain that you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to do it either. Given the cuts most newsrooms have had to endure, they’re looking for stories to come to them.

And Mr. Martinez did just that.

Tao Martinez

By addressing a “rumor” that, not only was Deputy Coroner Loren Carera supporting his campaign, but he was dropping her name faster than a Republican ring bearer at a gay wedding, Martinez managed to get some face time in the local newspapers.

Of course, he disavowed any notion of anyone playing favorites and called for the corornership to be a non-partisan position, but the truth is, who gives a flying you-know-what about any deputy coroner endorsement?

Then GOP candidate Rob Russell stepped right into it by claiming he wasn’t sure what Martinez was so concerned about and that various and sundry coroner staffers had privately come out in support of him.

This is Engaging the Press 101 folks. I figured Russell was a lock, but now I’m not so sure. Not only is he absolutely nothing to get excited about, but if Martinez can mobilize Elgin and Aurora while continuing to get his name in print, you never know.

And he has the best political name I’ve heard in years. Say it with me “Tao Martinez.”

My advice to the candidate would be to call Sheriff Pat Perez for exactly that kind of advice. And who knows what that kind of endorsement might do.