Some Republicans on Capitol Hill are bracing for losses of 25 House seats or more. But party operatives say
Rove is predicting that, at worst, Republicans will lose only 8 to 10 seats -- shy of the 15-seat threshold that would cede control to Democrats for the first time since the 1994 elections and probably hobble the balance of Bush's second term.
In the Senate, Rove and associates believe, a Democratic victory would require the opposition to "run the table," as one official put it, to pick up the necessary six seats -- a prospect the White House seems to regard as nearly inconceivable.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...
8-10 at most...Senate loss "inconceivable"? What the hell is this guy smoking?
On Fox News today (yes I know, I shouldn't watch) far right Republican cheerleader Fred Barnes predicted the Dems would pickup 18 seats...he has stayed stubbornly at 12 even after Foley, before that it was even less
There are two basic strategies in being a cheerleader, predict that basically nothing will happen and that all is well (like 8 seats), or predict a really horrible loss (like 30-40) that will scare your base into voting or you can turn it into a victory if it goes short
"Sure they won the house, but they didn't pick up 30 seats, they should have and that shows blah blah blah"
However, Barnes, one of the oldest most disciplined talking points hacks, looked very worried the entire broadcast, he didn't want to lowball it because he'd look like a fool later, but he didn't want to be accurate (and say in the 20s) or scare people with 30-40s talk, because he realizes IT MIGHT ACTUALLY HAPPEN
So, on this Sunday October 15th story, what the hell is Rove telling people IN PRIVATE? Also, WHY?
I have two opinions:
1) Classic concern troll: Rove has some amazing aces up his sleeves that he's going to play the week of November that will rally the GOP and/or depress indepedent voters
2) He really has no clue what is going on and/or refuses to believe it
After listening to Charlie Cook, Fred Barnes (ick), Hotline, Majority Watch, Chris Bowers...I really have a hard time not believing 2
I mean really, if come November, we are still looking at 30+ seats and the Senate (which we will be) we should print out that portion of the article and give it to every concern troll and concerned Democrat, its simplest way to show: Karl Rove and the Bush WH have no idea how to win midterms elections and just got lucky by playing every cheap trick in 2002 and exploiting 9/11...with that thought in mind, the whole week should be extremely positive and boost our last week on the campaign trail
So, do you guys think we should save this article for laughing material and...what the hell is Karl Rove thinking?