Think it's a coincidence Election Day falls under the shadow of Halloween? Is it supposed to be some kind of "darkest before the dawn" allusion?

Either way, I thought I'd honor the occasion by using this week's post to drop a few tricks and treats of my own. Scary, I know.

I love Chris Christie. I still wish he had run this year. He's one of those rare politicians who speaks bluntly and honestly. Listening to him doesn't sound like rewritten, preprogrammed pap that's been through half a dozen focus groups. While I still hold out hope for him in 2016, my fear is he still won't want it. I see him (and others such as Rice and Rubio) as a way for the Republican Party to energize a new generation. I guess, at the heart of it, that's where I think Romney falls short. To me, he represents yesterday's party, the one that's conceded the youth vote to the Democrats. And that's not a winning strategy.