“As White House spokesman Robert Gibbs put it, six weeks is a lifetime in politics.” NPR.

“There’s still 53 days left, which is a lifetime in politics.” Mitch Stewart, director of Organizing for America.

“Five weeks can be a lifetime in politics.” Pittsburgh CBS affiliate.

“Forty days is a lifetime in politics.” Siena spokesman Steve Greenberg.

“A month,” South Carolina New Democrats founder Phil Noble added, “is an eternity in politics.”

Whoa, whoa, whoa, Stephen Hawking. It’s a faster news cycle, not time travel.

For some voters, any sudden developments or October surprises will come too late to make a difference. Early voting is underway in Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, California, and West Virginia; it starts Monday in Florida, and in all there are 36 states with early voting.