We're just about into the middle of October, and so far, no surprise. There will be one, of course, Karl Rove leaves nothing to chance.

Here's my current best guess: Osama will turn up dead. There's too many problems if he turns up alive....debate over where he gets held, does he get a trial and by who, yada yada.

If he turns up dead, it will be as if Bush killed the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz...people will be chanting, "Ding, Dong, the witch is dead" as if all our battles with terrorists will be over.

Bush needs Osama gone, not captured. Now here's the question: If he turns up dead, will an independent pathologist or medical examiner be allowed to examine his remains to determine how long he's been dead? Wouldn't you want to know if he died a few days ago or has been in storage for six months or more, in preparation for an October unveiling?

Just a thought.