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Three takes from last week, including the far better than expected general election Democrats experienced yet again nationally:

First, take political polls with a tub of salt. While they have been spelling doom and gloom for Joe Biden’s popularity going into this election, and inferentially for Democrats generally, results were not that. At least not for many Democrats actually running for office. Additionally, in what way these elections help predict the big one next year remains entirely elusive, if related at all.

Although, Biden seems to be taking the results as some sort of endorsement, and so it seems that entirely shuts the door on his volunteering to step aside. Not that such a thing, wished for by many even among Democrats, was ever realistic. If a half a century of professionally watching pols at work and play has taught me one thing about their universal behavior, it is the uncanny ability to convince themselves they are absolutely the best candidate to run for whatever office. The higher the office, the greater the conviction.

Which is not to say Biden is wrong. He has a year to convince enough voters. He’s done it before.

Second, nearly eclipsing the general election is the civil fraud trial in New York City of the Trump organization. There is no........

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