Which is a fascinating turn of events--looks like McCain is closing the gap with Sarah Palin.

Barack who?

That was amusing, but what's significant about this email is its pitch:

Your vote in this election is more critical than ever as the polls show John McCain and Governor Palin in a virtual tie. Voting early by absentee ballot or in person is the best way to get your vote counted now and avoid the long lines on Election Day.

Seems to me that the tactic of urging people to vote now (and implying that if you don't, your vote might not be counted) using absentee or mail-in ballots reflects the fear that the post-convention "bump" is fading and won't return before election day. They want to lock in the votes while the undecided are still hypnotized by Sarah Palin, and before any more revelations come out to (further) kill the buzz.

The email has a link to the McCain campaign Web site, to a page that offers to register you or request an absentee ballot. I took the form a couple of steps, and there's a text box where you can type in your party affiliation. Since I'm already registered I didn't consummate the deal--that might be construed as voter fraud--but I wonder what would happen if you enter "Democrat"? How would you know whether they actually forwarded your request, or just tossed it? How stupid would have to be to try to register as a Democrat through a Republican Web site? Enquiring minds want to know!