When I started a clock nearly a month ago counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds to the close of the polls on Election Day, I didn't expect the Supreme Court to help run it out.

But Biden's selection of mint chip was an inspired choice, and maybe even a politically-calculated one, based on a Red, White & News analysis of YouGov data.

"Welcome to the end of democracy," right-wing conspiracy promoter Jack Posobiec said during a CPAC-related event, adding: "We didn't overthrow it completely. We didn't get all the way there on January 6th, but we will endeavor to get rid of it and replace it with this, right here [raising his fist in the air brandishing a crucifix], because all glory is not to government -- all glory to God."

Oops, I should translate that into English from the original Putin-wing of the Republican party dialect: "It is what it is."

The campaign news cycle went into overtime following Super Bowl LVIII, including a lingering conspiracy about a government PsyOp involving Taylor Swift. Remarkably, a Monmouth University poll found 32% of Republicans believe it.

Since I last updated it, the percentage of the world's population living in a democracy has fallen to 29% in 2022 from 33% in 2020. I suspect it's a bit lower now.

The Kennedy Jr. spot taps into elder Kennedy's nostalgic appeal, while Trump tells Putin to do whatever the hell he wants with NATO.

Politics aside, why is ageism the last form of prejudice tolerated in American society? Instead of celebrating Biden's experience, wisdom, temperament, and decision-making, he has become the butt of political jokes, news media obsession and Justice Department innuendo.

Are campaign news media outlets standing back or standing by? Either way, Trump-related antics -- and Taylor Swift conspiracies -- continue to dominate the headlines.

That's how long before the final vote is cast in this year's election and we find out who won: Democracy; or something else. Remarkably, many Americans say they plan to vote for something else. I have no delusions about changing many, if any of their minds, because they are, well, a lost cause.