[Wphile]

I noticed he didn't include a senate seat pickup from Washington State or a gubernatorial pickup in Washington. I'm hoping it was just an oversight. Washington State desperately needs a Republican governor and we have to get rid of Patty Murray!

[comebacknewt]

I like the optimism.

One minor criticism. I think Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are much stronger candidates for Bush in '04 than Vermont.

[elenchus]

Before rushing on to 2004,what about the following immediately looming disaster indicated in the two following articles?:

Concerned about the assault on conservative values? Contribute to Terrell's campaign against Landrieu in Louisiana:

If the conservative agenda is to have a chance of succeeding and if conservative judges are to gain Senate approval, we must preserve a Republican Senate--which is in greater jeopardy than many realize.

For those who understand why the Louisiana election is crucial to retaining the Senate in the face of possible Republican defections by Chafee and McCain, please see the article just posted on:

"How Suzanne Terrell can Defeat Mary Landrieu"

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/791117/posts

The link provided to the COMPLETE NBC TRANSCRIPT is incorrect, and should be:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/836275.asp

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you need convincing, also see the post:

Columnist Broder Sees Potential Party Switches by Senators McCain and Chaffee

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/791096/posts

[Coop]

Republican lost governorships in the large states of Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin (all of which my article predicted)

Wow! The author really went out on a limb there! [yawn]

During the primary season, President Bush will face no opposition at all. Never, perhaps, has the Republican Party been so united behind a single man.

Well, not since his father came off the Gulf War with 90% approval ratings.

[The Old Hoosier]

Vermont!!! Dream on...

Other than that, I basically agree with all of this, barring an economic or nuclear war disaster.

I would also add that that Daschle will retire and we'll get that Senate seat in SD, Miller will retire and we'll get the Ga. seat, and then we'll lose one in IL and maybe NH if Gregg becomes a judge. We probably won't lose more than one or two seats in the House, and pending TX and GA re-redistricting, we could pick up about two or three--although dem retirements could make the picture rosier between now and then.

Also, Indiana will finally be under complete GOP control as Republicans pick up the one seat they need in the state House plus the governor's mansion.

[aristeides]

Nothing has worked, and now nothing can work for Democrats - Clinton has sullied them beyond repair. The future of American politics has profoundly changed as a result. Perhaps, as our Founding Fathers intended, political parties themselves may fade away as well, and politics will return to the role which it should have in our lives - a minor concern related to a small and unobtrusive government. Stranger things have happened.

As long as we have winner-take-all elections and an electoral college, we will have two major parties. If the Dems disappear, a new opposition party will quickly emerge, probably out of a split in the now-dominant Republican Party.

[johnny7]

2004 is 2 years away. Old saying... “many a slip twixt the cup and the lip.”

The dems want Gore to go away. They will market Kerry and Edwards.

If that fails, there's always Hillary. FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT!

I know it's ugly but it's a good gimmick. The dems are masters at it.

Most women would vote for her even if they dislike her because of the message it would send.

No my friend, 2004 will make 2000 look like a cake walk.

[SamAdams76]

Well let's put it this way. I can't imagine any state that voted Bush in 2000 NOT voting for him in 2004. That right there gives him his re-election. All Bush would need to do is bring in the states that were close last time like Pennsylvania and Michigan and he'll have his electoral landslide.

The focus in 2004 however should not be on getting a landslide for Bush but getting more seats in Congress.