Back in Play

For weeks, the conventional wisdom was that Democrats stand a good chance of taking over the House, but that the GOP will keep control of the Senate--bad news, because the Senate could block W's yahoo appointments. In recent days, as terror seems to supplant Iraq on the front pages, press enthusiasm for Democratic chances in the House has cooled. Whether there has been any real improvement in Republican fortunes in the House is highly questionable, but three new polls show incumbent GOP Senators Conrad ("Laughingstock") Burns (MT), Mike DeWine (OH) and Lincoln Chaffee (RI) behind their Democratic challengers by six to nine points. Add to that a virtually tied race in Missouri and a contest in Tennessee (for the seat of retiring Majority Leader Bill ("The Man That Likes to Cut Up Cats") Frist) that seems to have Democrat Harold Ford ahead, and the Party of Jefferson and Jackson could well be on its way to recovering control of the upper house.