Take a step back from the day-to-day machinations and minutiae of the campaign for a moment. Put aside thoughts about the final stretch of polls and stump speeches and negative advertising and robo-calls and ground games and electoral map strategizing, and consider the enormity of what this country appears to be on the brink of doing one week from now: Electing an African-American to the highest office in the land.

Given the history of this nation, it is a remarkable prospect. It is exhilarating. It is almost unbelievable.

And that is why it is also very frightening.

Frightening because as the prospect of an Obama presidency becomes more real, I believe there are many in this country who are so sick and deranged that they would risk their own lives to make sure that doesn't happen. Even with the best and most comprehensive security force, you cannot convince me that an assassination isn't a very real possibility. Obama is attracting enormous crowds of tens of thousands of people, which are nearly impossible to totally manage. All it takes is one nut with a semiautomatic to be successful.

I now believe that an assassination is the only thing that will prevent Obama from being inaugurated as President of the United States come next January.

I hope I'm just being overly cautious or neurotic - with my personality, that would be within the realm of possibility - but I think a lot of people are wondering the same thing and just don't want to express the unmentionable.

Am I wrong to worry??