By Wade Keller, Torch editor

Let's face it. The only one happy WWE is celebrating their 800th episode Monday with yet another bloated three-hour show is Bonnie Hammer, head of the USA network. USA's poor performing original programming in the face competitors like FX, TBS, and TNT, means Hammer could use another high rated hour from WWE, even if their demographic numbers aren't the best.

Hammer may not realize that these three-hour episodes further burn out an audience that is tiring of the same wrestlers wrestling the same opponents in the same match-ups in a show that looks the same as it did a decade ago.

Vince McMahon and his creative team, charged with the endless job of peaking their shows to excite their audience enough to get them to spend thirty bucks each and every month, certainly does. He has to waste television time that he needs to build the Survivor Series pay-per-view and an increasingly not-as-rare appearance by Degeneration X on a show that really only benefits the network that gets extra ratings and advertising dollars from it.

Forgotten in the fake hoopla for yet another bloated three-hour episode of Raw on Monday night is the real reason pro wrestling fans should watch the show.

The fate of the Republic may depend on it.

Eight years ago the Raw on the Monday night before the Presidential election may have tipped the slight balance between Republican candidate George W. Bush and Democratic candidate Al Gore to the Republican side. As you may remember, the contest was the closest in our nation's history, and unanswered comments by popular Raw color commentator Jerry Lawler in favor of Bush, after WWE had heavily pushed their Smackdown Your Vote drive, may have made the difference.

At least, that thought certainly crossed the minds of some powerful Democratic political operatives four years later.

So, the devoted WWE nation should watch carefully to get their cue from Raw Monday night to vote the way that benefits their own particular special interest group.

I suspect JBL will be sent out to carry the water this time, something I have no doubt he'll be delighted to do.

Things may not be the same as they were eight years ago, but who knows? Maybe once again the WWE Nation's will really count.

Comments? Questions? Email Bruce Mitchell at bmitchell51@triad.rr.com.

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