As September draws to an end, a familiar parlor game is starting — the speculation about a pre-election “October surprise.” The term came into favor in 1972 when President Nixon’s then-National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger proclaimed “peace is at hand” in the Vietnam War, lending support for Nixon’s campaign against Democrat George McGovern. Since then, the “surprise” has represented some unexpected event that can change the course of an election.
The “October surprise” does not have to happen in October, just near enough to an election that a candidate has little time to regroup. Allegations of a long-lost drunk driving scandal against candidate George W. Bush in 2000 popped up in early November. In 2008, candidates Barack Obama and John McCain were startled by September’s financial crisis. But the point is clear: Something, anything, could happen. With momentum turning towards President Obama, the search for a surprise is in earnest.

Comments
I was thinking about how funny it would be if Romney were elected and he went ahead and fired everyone anyway-he's a slickster, that Mittster!
Eisenhower said it besty. "Beware the military-industrial complex."
All those union workers at the Kittery, Maine shipyard are loyal Democrats. They are going to vote for end of the paradise they now enjoy. As believers, they will once again vote for Mr. Obama and to simultaneously slit their own career throats. None of them would ever dream of not voting for Obama. So, I wish them all the best of luck as they line up for unemployment benefits. One really good thing is they will not have a work requirement for their new unemployment benefits.
Each and every one of them told you so? What was their voting pattern in past elections? Are data specific for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard kept? What about the Bath Ironworks? what about the Norfolk NSY? the Pearl Harbor NSY? the Puget Sound NSY? the Coast Guard Yard?
Well you hate the existence of unions anyway, why would you care one way or the other?
What exactly do you know about government contracting, Juliette? The threat from sequestration to employees of contractors is very real. The irony here is that the WARN act was forced on industry by liberals, and now it's coming back to haunt them.
Don't point this issue on the Dems or the Prez. It was the Tea Party who insisted on massive cuts to increase the debt limit - who held up negotiations and forced a lowering of the US credit rating. Then they still refused to consider any tax increases as part of overall deficit redcution and this is what we ended up with. Also - all you spending cutters - see how many jobs are at stake when you slash governement - it's not just gov't workers themselves; private sector gets hurt too as they contract with the governement. Best way to fix this problem is to vote out the insane Tea Party who, if they have it their way, will cause another massive recession and job loss with overly severe spending cuts without revenues. Then the grownups left in Congress can work out a realisitic deal.
Amatuer analysis, Obama like presentation. Homeland Security background = no credability.