The ultimate election day surprise
Over the weekend, I blogged at Open U. about possible last-minute October surprises for the midterms. Well, if the Dems do worse than expected in today’s midterms, I think we know who to blame: britney2.jpg From TMZ.com: TMZ obtained the legal papers, filed today in Los Angeles County Superior Court, citing “irreconcilable differences.” In her ...
Over the weekend, I blogged at Open U. about possible last-minute October surprises for the midterms. Well, if the Dems do worse than expected in today's midterms, I think we know who to blame:
Over the weekend, I blogged at Open U. about possible last-minute October surprises for the midterms. Well, if the Dems do worse than expected in today’s midterms, I think we know who to blame:
britney2.jpg
TMZ obtained the legal papers, filed today in Los Angeles County Superior Court, citing “irreconcilable differences.” In her petition, Spears asks for both legal and physical custody of the couple’s two children, one-year old Sean Preston and two-month old Jayden James, with Federline getting reasonable visitation rights. As for money, sources tell TMZ the couple, who married in Oct. 2004, has an iron-clad prenup. Not surprisingly, Spears is waiving her right to spousal support. She’s also asking the judge to make each party pay their own attorney’s fees. Spears gives the date of separation as yesterday, the same day she flaunted her incredible revamped physique during a surprise appearance on David Letterman’s show. Sources tell TMZ there was no single reason for Britney pulling the plug, rather, it was “a string of events.”
This is perfect timing for the GOP. She’s demonstrated her love of George W. Bush in the past. Now consider the following chain of events:
1) Her divorce will fire up Andrew Sullivan to point out — again — how Britney has defiled the institution of marriage more than any gay man ever could. 2) This in turn fires up the conservative base over at NRO’s The Corner. 3) In the next three hours, a outpouring of social conservatives forget the Ted Haggard follies and vote for the GOP 4) At the same time, under-30 voters — considered to be overwhelmingly Democratic — decide not to vote in favor of surfing the web to find out how the young Ms. Spears is
lookingdoing. 5) The combined effects push the Republicans to actually pick up seats in Congress and in state capitols.
It’s genius. Pure genius.
Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast. Twitter: @dandrezner
More from Foreign Policy


At Long Last, the Foreign Service Gets the Netflix Treatment
Keri Russell gets Drexel furniture but no Senate confirmation hearing.


How Macron Is Blocking EU Strategy on Russia and China
As a strategic consensus emerges in Europe, France is in the way.


What the Bush-Obama China Memos Reveal
Newly declassified documents contain important lessons for U.S. China policy.


Russia’s Boom Business Goes Bust
Moscow’s arms exports have fallen to levels not seen since the Soviet Union’s collapse.