On probably Monday or Tuesday, I am going to text Spenser and say excitedly “turn on CNN, Herman Cain is going down!” I can’t wait. Its going to be fantastic. Right now he’s in the death rattle. Plagued by weeks of sexual harassment claims, his campaign is all but over. Before the Iowa caucus in January, the official start of the nomination process, he will drop out, and as a liberal Obama supported and anti-idiotic politicians advocate, I will be thrilled.

America is in an exciting, fucked up, wild west sort of political climate right now. The months leading up to an election are usually just that. Campaigns are nuts. Michelle Bachmann’s campaign someone survived her false claim that Rick Perry’s mandated HPV vaccine cause mental retardation in a young girl, all the candidate somehow continue to live with themselves after a debate audience booed a gay active duty soldier in Iraq- these things are wild.

Hence Howard Dean. Howard Dean was a decent politician. His 2004 campaign did an incredible job of taking advantage of internet fundraising, he served Vermont well. He was a strong contender in the race for the Democratic nomination in 2004.

Until that moment. One of the strangest moments in American history.

After the results of the Iowa caucus showed a huge and surprising loss to John Kerry and John Edwards, Dean gave an enthusiastic, optimistic speech to supporters. For Dean, it was a great moment- we’re done but we’re not out.

Dean was recovering from a cold. As he plowed through a list of states he pledged he would primaries in, he reached his crescendo and climax “and then we’re going to Washington DC to take back the White House- byyyyyaaaaaaahhhhh!”

I just don’t know how else to describe it. To those in attendance at the speech, they noticed nothing strange. To those watching at home, it sounded like he was fucking nuts. Because of the perfect storm of mic feedback and getting over a recent cold, his voice sounded absolutely ridiculous coming through television speakers. Viewers were baffled- politicians are not supposed to be that nuts. The media had a field day with the “Dean scream”, it was all over the internet, Chappelle’s Show did it- basically, Howard Dean has a bad little moment that can be blamed on mic feedback, and it killed his campaign. Inexplicably, it was the nail in the coffin of his campaign. You just have to feel bad for the guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5FzCeV0ZFc

RIP that campaign. Howard Dean is our wonderful person of the week because seriously, this was a hell of a moment in American politics. Right up there with Nixon losing a debate because he looked like shit.

Don’t let the door sexually harass you on your way out Herman Cain.