Over the past couple of days I’ve noticed a voting trend emerging that I and some others predicted might happen this election cycle that I have dubbed, for lack of a better term, “The Readiness Effect”

The prediction was; that a lot of Obama supporters, when all is said and done, standing alone in the voting booth, would vote McCain.

Now before everyone starts jumping all over me about race or even calling me a racist this prediction had nothing to do with race or the “Bradley Effect” quit the contrary, it has everything to do with readiness to lead and the comfort level of the individual tasked with the awesome responsibility of choosing the most qualified person to lead this great country, hence the “The Readiness Effect”You see, the thinking was thus… after getting all the mileage from Family, Friends, Co-Workers, and the Cool Kids for supporting Obama – standing there in the booth and asking yourself:

Who do I trust to protect this country?

Who do I trust to have the experience in dealing with the problems facing this country?

Who can I trust to put country before politics?

The answer is clearly John McCain.

Now this “The Readiness Effect” obviously doesn’t count for the hyper partisans on the far left who’s extreme philosophy, ego, and hatred for everything center left on down to far right will never allow them to vote any other way. No! “The Readiness Effect” applies mostly to center left Democrats and Independents and seems to be already taking affect.

Yesterday, I heard a great story from a friend who describes herself as a “Legacy Democrat” she says that everyone in her family has been a registered Democrat as far back as she can remember – parents, grandparents, great-grandparents… you get the picture. Well the other day, her and four of her friends, all proud Nevada Democrats piled into the car and together went to early vote for Obama.

On the way to their polling place, she said they were all very excited but she kept having this funny feeling in her stomach. Upon entering the voting booth, she said, the anxiety worsened and standing there poised to cast her vote a little voice or call it instinct began gnawing away at this life long Democrat (life long – well she’s only 35) She finally said “I can’t do it… I can’t vote for Obama, he’s just not ready” and voted for McCain.

She said she was shocked walking out of the polling place, she didn’t think she would ever vote for a Republican… Ever!!!

On the ride home with her four friends the mood was a bit somber I think she even called it sobering. About halfway home she let the cat out of the bag, so to speak, and told her friends she had voted for McCain and her reasons for doing so. Their reaction was shocking, even to her, all but one said they had done the same thing and for the same reasons.

Needless to say I was happy to see my theory was more than just an educated guess but I was also reminded of just how awe-inspiring the human condition is, as easy as it is to get swept up in the hype and excitement of the moment when it really comes down to it people have a great capacity to slow down and make rational decisions… at least for the most part.

My hope is the this “The Readiness Effect” becomes the rule that changes the outcome of this race and not just the few isolated incidents I’ve heard about. If McCain wins and that win is attributed to the “The Readiness Effect” I’m sure the press will call it a phenomenon, a fluke, or racism but the simple fact is when standing face to face with a decision of this magnitude the choice is often made for you!