POLITICS DEPT:
Here's a good analysis by Michael Barone explaining just why Democrats might be in trouble in 2010:
"Polls in House races almost always show incumbents ahead of challengers, because incumbent members of Congress are usually much better known than their opponents. An incumbent running below 50 percent is considered potentially in trouble; an incumbent running behind a challenger is considered in deep doo-doo. In 1994, I wrote an article in U.S. News & World Report arguing that there was a serious chance that Republicans could capture the 40 seats that they needed then, as now, for a majority in the House. It was the first mainstream media piece suggesting that, and it appeared on the newsstands on July 11. I cited as evidence five polls showing incumbent Democratic congressmen trailing Republican challengers. None of those Democrats had scandal problems; all five lost in November. Today, a lot more Democratic incumbents seem to be trailing Republican challengers in polls. Jim Geraghty of National Review Online has compiled a list of 13 Democratic incumbents trailing in polls released over the last seven weeks. They're from all over the country: one each from Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota; two from Virginia; three from Pennsylvania. Most if not all of these incumbents are personally attractive, hardworking and ethically unsullied."
BASEBALL DIARY:
Rays 7, Tigers 4: Tampa Bay is a very good club, they're at home, and the injured Tigers just keep...finding ways to lose.
A's 3, Rangers 1: on this one, just tip your hat to A's starter Trevor Cahill; he has 10 wins now, and held the potent Rangers to just 2 hits.
