Note: This “Moore to the Point” commentary aired on NewsTalkSTL on Friday, October 28th. Audio included below.

“Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.” “It ain’t over ‘til the fat lady sings.” There are all sorts of idioms that caution against getting ahead of yourself. Anyone who’s been burnt by overly optimistic expectations knows you save yourself a great deal of heartache if you keep them in check.

Of course, that runs counter to the impulse to predict outcomes – whether it’s betting on horses or political candidates. There’s a whole industry built around polling and predicting electoral outcomes. And, frankly, people like me, who write and talk about politics for a living, would likely be hurting for content if it weren’t for these sorts of endeavors.

Yes, right now, all signs (and the conventional wisdom) point toward a sweeping win for Republicans in November. But we’ve also seen conventional wisdom upended quite a bit of late. And it’s difficult to keep the creep of cynicism at bay.

I’m an optimist by nature, but I’ve also followed politics long enough (and had my expectations demolished enough) that I do my best to temper that when it comes to elections. So, if you notice me over here turning blue the next week-and-a-half, do not fear. It’s not that I’m reverting to my liberal roots – I’m just waiting to exhale.