Karnak the Safiristic
The Not-So-Hidden Columnist--William Safire Guest Edition (30 Dec)

Longtime NYTimes conservative columnist William Safire returns to the fold here at the precipice of 2006 to offer some multiple choice prognotication (link freely available, as long as you have a free NYTimes online account) for events that could unfold in the coming year. Here are a few of the more choice items (with Safire's choice bolded):

1. U.S. troops in Iraq at 2006 year's end will number: (a) current "base line" 138,000; (b) closer to 100,000; (c) closer to 90,000; (d) 80,000 or below.

2. Speaker of the House succeeding Dennis Hastert will be: (a) Mike Pence; (b) Rahm Emanuel; (c) Steny Hoyer; (d) Roy Blunt; (e) Nancy Pelosi; (f) Tom DeLay.

3. Best-picture Oscar to: (a) Woody Allen's comeback, "Match Point"; (b) Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain"; (c) James Mangold's "Walk the Line" (cashing in on Reese Witherspoon's performance); (d) Niki Caro's antisexist "North Country."

10. In Iraqi politics: (a) Shiite majority will refuse to amend the constitution to suit Sunnis; (b) disgruntled Sunnis will encourage terrorists to drive out Americans; (c) nationalist Iraqis and bridging Kurds will achieve a loose confederation and create a Muslim brand of democracy.

11. Vote-changing domestic issue in this year's U.S. elections will be: (a) wiretapping and computer intrusions on privacy; (b) extending reductions of dividend, capital-gains and estate taxes and reducing alternative minimum tax; (c) growth in economic inequality and need for pension protection; (d) journalist jailing by the new leak-plumbers. [ed note - Safire chooses "none"]

14. As Bush approval rises, historians will begin to equate his era with that of: (a) Truman; (b) Eisenhower; (c) L.B.J.; (d) Reagan; (e) Clinton.

Nice bit of wishful thinking there. I'm gonna go with 1-b, 2-e, 3-b (there's no stopping Brokeback, and it's gonna break the back of Dobson, et al), 10-b, 11-none (sadly, I agree with Mr. Safire--unfortunately, despite my continual optimism and belief in the American people, I don't see any of these becoming an issue to rally around, despite the fact that A through C should indeed be those issues), 14-William McKinley.