Lizzie,
I really like the prediction of a Dean/Clark team leading to a Democratic sweep of the House and Senate. Unfortunately, it is a fantasy. With so few Congressional districts competitive today and the redistricting horror in Texas, the best the Democrats can hope for, IMHO, is to hold their own. The Senate could tip, but with four Democratic incumbents (Graham, Edwards, Miller plus one more) bowing out, the chances are the Republicans can make headway there as well.
Former President Jimmy Carter was the guest on the Charlie Rose show last night. He predicted that Dean would be the Democratic nominee. And that George Bush would win the election. He didn't go into much detail about why, but I tend to think that it will be a real uphill battle for the Democrats to overcome the slick and well financed Republican machine. The Democrats are in somewhat of a disarray. Their 2002 Congressional campaign strategy was a disaster and unless Terry McAuliffe and the DLC is neutralized, there's little hope of doing better in 2004.
Want proof? Just look at how ineffectual the Democrats are in blocking the Energy Bill now being voted on post-conference. It is the worst piece of legislation in decades, utterly corrupt and craven, but the Democrats are incapable of stopping it from becoming the law of the land. |
