Oliver North : October Surprises

WASHINGTON -- We're now into the 10th month of an election year, and the so-called mainstream media are on the lookout for an "October surprise." For those too young to remember, the term was coined by the potentates of the press to describe a nonevent: the belief of conspiracy theorists that Ronald Reagan somehow thwarted President Jimmy Carter from achieving the release of 52 American hostages being held in Tehran, Iran, before the 1980 election. It didn't happen; but that hasn't slaked the thirst of print and broadcast "journalists" and "commentators" for a sensational event that will sway voters in the month before an election. What many in the media either don't know or choose not to remember is that October has produced a lot of surprises for Americans.

It was on Oct. 19, 1781, that the success of the......