Even funnier (or more dire, depending on your perspective) are Republican threats to block a stopgap spending bill that would keep the government operating until a new president assumes office.

Negotiations between the White House and congressional Democrats have begun over emergency legislation to continue funding the federal government when the fiscal year ends Sept. 30.

But even stopgap funding may be threatened by the continuing showdown over energy issues. In recent days, several House Republicans have talked about blocking any funding bill that extends the moratorium on offshore drilling, raising the specter of a government shutdown.

Pushing the "shut down" strategy is Newt Gingrich, who thinks voters would hold Democrats responsible for the unwillingness of Republicans to compromise. That's exactly what he told his party in 1995. He was wrong.

Public opinion polls showed most of the blame was assigned to the Republicans.

Do Republicans have the political will to play chicken this close to an election?

National parks and passport offices would close. Veterans would face problems getting their benefit checks, and distressed homeowners would face delays in obtaining government-backed home loans.

On the flip side, do Democrats have the political will to stand up to the "drill, baby, drill" minority party without obtaining significant concessions in exchange for an agreement to authorize new offshore drilling?