Wretchard:

It appears you’re suggesting that Senator Obama is a joker in the deck. People are accustomed to seeing “Democrat” or “Republican”, seeing red or black (or blue), with the normal four suits of cards. Jokers are different, and their value depends upon the rules of the game.

I think some people want to vote for the joker in the deck precisely because voting for a sure thing doesn’t appeal to the excitement of a gamble. Never mind that the house almost always wins. Never mind that slot machines are called “one armed bandits” for a reason. For those who desire the excitement of the unexpected, Senator Obama delivers that sense of surprise.

He appeals to a zeitgeist that feels, “We don’t know whether he is one of us or not, but there’s a chance he really is one of us. So let’s spin the wheel.” I think of Senator Obama as a chance some people can believe in.