Progress Report: Hurricane Sandy Edition; Debate Schedule; Paving URI for Parking Lot; 10 Best Gaffs

While the wind is honking early this semi-stormy morning, the significant weather from Hurricane Sandy will be the when the moon tide high hits later tonight. The full moon high tide typically causes a little flooding all over the Ocean State; couple that with the wall of water a hurricane pushes along and we’ve got cause for concern for our coastal areas…

…In the meantime, enjoy the breeze and if you can make it down to see the surf, I’ll see you at the beach!

There are, at least, two local progressive news blogs here in Rhode Island covering communities that could get whacked by Sandy … here’s how Progressive Charlestown and Portsmouth’s HardDeadlines are covering the storm.

You’ve got to wonder how the prolonged storm will affect the last week before the election … Will Obama have opportunity to look presidential? Will Mitt Romney say something to again prove how out-of-touch with real people he is, or will the media just focus on that he would cut funding for disaster relief efforts? If Sandy hits the city hard and avoids the more rural portions of the district, does that give Brendan Doherty an advantage, or a disadvantage?

One way Sandy will affect campaign: the debate today between David Cicilline and Brendan Doherty has been cancelled … the ProJo Political Scene team has a debate schedule here for the rest of the week.

If you’re already looking forward to post-campaign politics: Scott MacKay details how the real political drama will come in January, when a dramatic federal deficit reduction tool kicks in right when the Bush tax cuts expire … if you think the Frankenstorm has been over-hyped, wait till the political writers start focusing on that one!

If you look at the polls swing states, particularly Ohio (in other words the states that actually decide the presidency), Obama still has a pretty cozy advantage.

Did you think Romney 47 percent comment was the biggest blunder of the 2012 election season … this list of the 10 biggest gaffs of the campaign ranks it third: check out which two edged it out here.

Talk about paving paradise to put in a parking lot … here’s a for, well, a parking lot.

Today in 1929: Black Tuesday. The stock market crashes as thousands of investors lose billions of dollars … my question: where did it go?