For months now, my colleague David Bernstein has been assuring me that Barack Obama's going to win the presidency by a wide margin tomorrow. But no matter what he says--and despite how promising the polls currently look--I can't help expecting the worst.

Sound familiar? If so, please join me in a little exercise.

Here's the "Breaking News" update currently topping Reuters.com: "McCain says will suspend campaign to return to Washington Thursday to help with bailout negotiations, asks that Friday debate with Obama be postponed so bailout negotiations can continue."

And here, linking to Reuters, is how Time's Mark Halperin describes the same development: "McCain suspends campaign, wants debate postponed."