Just call it the World Series effect. OK, so maybe it’s not enough to register on the Richter scale, but still, the baseball event just might affect next week’s election. Yale professor and voter-turnout expert Donald Green explained to us that the happier people are, the less likely they are to vote.  (He actually used fancier professor-speak, noting “the trend of diminishing turnout rates in increasingly affluent Western democracies.”)

That trend, however, could affect turnout numbers next week. “The standard hypothesis is that turnout increases when people are angry and diminishes when people are upbeat and satisfied,” Green says. “If the hypothesis is true, St. Louis should see lower-than-usual turnout; Detroit, higher-than-usual turnout.”

And you campaign folks can let go of that Weather Channel obsession and stop doing anti-rain dances: Green notes that clichés about the weather on Election Day affecting turnout are bunk. There’s actually no proof that nasty weather depresses turnout, the professor says.

Since New York Giants running back Tiki Barber announced he may be retiring from the NFL after this season, sports pundits have been speculating about his post-turf career moves, with some suggesting that he could run for public office. For now, the telegenic Barber seems to have set his sights on a broadcasting career.

Some experts, though, say Barber would make an ideal political candidate. Gregg Easterbrook, a columnist for ESPN.com and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, says Barber is smart, widely admired, good-looking, and possessed of “star power” — all qualities that make him electable.

And unlike other athletes-turned-politicos, Barber is currently engaged in issues, Easterbrook notes. “A lot of guys, after they retire, they think, ‘OK, maybe now I should pick up a newspaper’ — Steve Largent comes to mind,” he says. “Tiki has been interested in the issues while he’s in football.

“I have no idea what his politics are, but his brain is switched to the ‘on’ position, and we need more people like that in politics,” he says.

Sarbanes, son keep bio all in the family

It’s right before the election, and Hill hands are relishing the prospect of a fresh batch of new faces in the upcoming freshman class (that would be reason 837 that Congress is like high school). One possible member of the incoming greenies, though, won’t be nearly as unfamiliar as his peers.

John Sarbanes, the Democrat running for a seat from Maryland’s 3rd District, is the son of retiring Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-Md). Aside from sharing DNA, the father-son pair practically share a biography.

The junior Sarbanes has a résumé that eerily reads almost entirely like his father’s.

Their educational tracks were similar: Princeton undergrad, prestigious overseas scholarship (Dad’s was a Rhodes, son’s was a Fulbright), followed by Harvard Law. Sarbanes the younger also followed in his dad’s footsteps in his professional career, joining a Baltimore law firm (and now running for public office, of course). And just like dear old Dad, the candidate has two sons and a daughter.

 Tell me how to campaign

Ever think you could run a congressional campaign better than the people who do?

Vernon Robinson, the GOP candidate for North Carolina’s 13th District challenging Democratic Rep. Brad Miller, is giving you that chance today, sort of.

Robinson, who has attracted attention by running an aggressive ad campaign, “fired” his campaign manager for the day (don’t worry, he’s just on paid administrative leave) and instead has asked online supporters to set today’s campaign schedule.

For time slots throughout Wednesday, visitors of http://wizbangblog.com/vpoll.php can pick from three options and Robinson will go wherever and do whatever the people want.

This could mean that Robinson will end up at the DMV from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Alternately, he could eat Mexican food and visit the Mexican consulate or go to the Wake Forest ER — it’s up to online voters.

Robinson told us he is not worried that lefty saboteurs will hijack his schedule, noting the multiple-choice format.

“All of the options are good,” he said. “This is a unique way to energize the rightroots,” added Robinson, who hopes that the event will generate some pre-election buzz. (Robinson is the clear underdog in this race.)

If Robinson’s supporters are kind, the first thing they’ll do is let him sleep in, which is one of the options for the 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. time slot. But early poll results indicate that the candidate will be at the shift change of the Miller Brewing plant in Eden, N.C.

Shelved campaign manager Jeff Mixon laughed when asked about his temporary hiatus. “I have plenty of things to do, don’t worry,” Mixon said.

Armstrong Williams on Air America radio

Is cash-strapped Air America radio veering to the right?

The liberal media outlet, which recently filed for bankruptcy, is said to be considering syndicating conservative commentator Armstrong Williams’s radio show.

The possible deal hinges on the relationship between Air America and WWRL, its new flagship station in New York.

Williams’s show, co-hosted with liberal Sam Greenfield, is already heard on WWRL during morning drive time and a source said there have been serious discussions about broadening Williams’s audience.

Air America struck a deal this summer to move its New York home from WLIB to WWRL. The source said that as part of the deal, WWRL wants the Williams/Greenfield show syndicated on Air America radio. Such a deal would bring in more cash to WWRL, and word is that Air America is on board. But Air American does not want to syndicate the Williams show before the elections, which would presumably rile its liberal listeners.

WWRL Program Director Rennie Bishop was mum on the topic. Asked when he would comment, Bishop said, “Call me after the elections.”

Williams, who recently settled his case with the Department of Justice on his controversial payments from the Bush administration for touting the No Child Left Behind law, said, “I keep hearing the rumor it’s coming and it couldn’t come any sooner because they need a little diversity there.”

Williams’s business card has “Air America radio” already on it because of his affiliation with WWRL.

Air America spokeswoman Jaime Horn said, “We have no plans to syndicate Armstrong Williams at any time.” But the company’s previous denials have rung false. In mid-September, Air America denied reports that it was going to file for bankruptcy. A month later, the radio station filed for Chapter 11.