When you read a Broder op-ed and see that even the Dean of Beltway pundits is talking about a Democratic takeover in Congress, you know the "conventional wisdom" is shifting.
Poll numbers look good for the Democrats. Lots of people seem fed up with the GOP. And many people expect to see big Democratic gains in the House and Senate.
But what if the GOP cheats on election day?
More below...
Most of us here have seen the video of the programmer who admitted, in testimony under oath, to writing some code to rig election results in Florida just prior to the 2000 election. Many people suspect similar election fraud in Ohio in 2004.
It sounds like electronic voting fraud is easy to do, and easy to get away with.
One major thing that helps those who would defraud an election - it's such a brazen crime, hardly anybody thinks the GOP would even attempt it.
"There's no way they'd do that - it wrecks the foundations of our democracy!"
People who complain about election fraud are ignored or called kooks. Conspiracy theorists.
"No way that could happen in America!"
Well, why wouldn't they try it?
All they need is a 51% to 49% split. In key spots in the few Congressional districts in the USA.
I can hear it now, the day after the election.
"Gee, Corkie, we all thought the Democrats were poised to win control of at least the House. but they wind up LOSING a few more seats! And the Senate remains in GOP control"
"Yes, John, it appears that once again the Republicans' ground game was strong, and the motivated values voters rallied at the last second to give the Republicans the edge".
"What about the Foley scandal? Tempest in a teapot?"
"It would seem so, John. It seems it didn't resonate with voters the way we thought it would. Later today we'll have live coverage of President Bush's press conference. He's expected to talk about the 'new mandate' this mid-term victory gives him".
And so on.
Many people have complained about voting machines. Those people are instantly ignored or derided as kooks. And we still have voting machines. Everywhere.
A few weeks ago Bush said gas prices would go down. And they have.
Bush also said that the GOP wouldn't lose control of Congress.
What does he know that we don't?
This is a frustrating issue, because we're seemingly powerless to DO anything about it. When I go to vote Nov 7th, there will be voting machines in my district. I'm stuck.
What I want to know is, what is the DEMOCRATIC PARTY preparing to do? Do they have exit pollsters poised to gather data? Do they have a ground game that will bring voters to the polls in numbers sufficient to overwhelm fraud?