Cheney on the midterms

Veep Dick Cheney on Rush Limbaugh today talking about the GOP's chances in November:

"...I really think we're going to do reasonably well. And I think we'll hold the Senate, and I also think we got a good shot at holding the House.

Unbridled optimism from Dick Cheney? Wow, the GOP must really be choking. Perhaps he can define "a good shot". Well, seriously, Cheney has no reason to be saying that. Except that Ken Mehlman is mimicking the Veep's enthusiam in a conversation with Newsweek's Howard Fineman, and believes that Republicans will hold onto full control of Congress.

What’s his theory for GOP survival?

Stabbing furiously at thick slabs of Ahi tuna, Mehlman laid out the national themes, which boil down to The Three Ts: Terrorists, Tax Cuts and Traditionalist judges.

The idea is to suggest stark “choices” on all three, beginning with a White House signing ceremony for the new legislation that governs the interrogation and trial of “detainees” accused of terrorism.

“Do we have an interrogation program against guys like Khalid Sheik Mohammad or do we not?” he asked rhetorically. “Do we have a Patriot Act or not? Do we have surveillance? Do we have missile defense? A whole series of things that don’t involve Iraq.”

As for Iraq, he said, the aim is to ask Democrats whether they “want another Taliban-like Afghanistan between Syrian and Iran. Is that acceptable?”

"Tuna" Mehlman may be right. If the scenario laid out in PB earlier today involving fallout from the Foley scandal doesn't play out, voters could turn serious and focus on terrorism. Taxes, even though voters always talk about them, are a non-iussue. That's for local races.

Three things will dtermine which party is in power come 11/8: Iraq, Foley, and terrorism. If voters are scared enough about terror, they'll head for the GOP. If they're scared about Foley and/or Iraq, Dems will be in charge. It's another fear-based election. But until that poll drop for Republicans after the Foley scandal disappears and voters come back to the GOP, the Dems are looking very good for the win.