New copies of the 2008 Almanac of American Politics arrived yesterday, and Michael Barone's opening essay is chock full of interesting facts and analysis. The thing that struck me the most was Barone's theory that the United States has moved from the era of being, politically speaking, a "49 percent nation" to a new era in which partisan "trench warfare" has been replaced by "open field politics." In this new era, Barone theorizes, partisan affiliation is more elastic, what some may see as unusual alliances and coalitions will spring up over night, then dissipate, and the nation's political future is more uncertain. It's the sort of era in which Pat Robertson would endorse the thrice-married, pro-choice former mayor of New York City for president.