ONE WEEK TO GO – IN A WEEK AND A DAY WE'LL KNOW IF AMERICA HAS BEEN SAVED FROM THE DECREPIT, TERMINALLY INCOMPETENT CLUTCHES OF THE OBAMAN REGIMENTS.

Well, actually we'll just know if the Republicans will get a chance at bat.   I suspect they will. 

One big question this morning:  How much impact will the "enthusiasm gap" have?  From USA Today:

One week before Election Day, Democrats face a record-setting "enthusiasm gap" that positions energized Republicans to score sweeping victories in next week's congressional elections, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds.

Despite across-the-country rallies by President Obama and get-out-the-vote efforts by his allies, only 37% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning registered voters report more enthusiasm than usual about voting, a decline from early in the year.

Meanwhile, 63% of Republicans and Republican-leaning registered voters say they are more enthusiastic than usual, the biggest advantage for either party on this key measure in any midterm election since Gallup began asking the question in 1994. Then, Republicans had a 9-point enthusiasm advantage in a year Democrats lost control of the U.S. House and Senate.

Now, the enthusiasm gap is 26 points.

COMMENT:  Goody.  Let it grow, let it grow.  Everything this week will be devoted to the "ground game," the get-out-the-vote effort.  Democrats generally have an edge in that game, but the enthusiasm gap may well dull that edge considerably. 

Dick Morris said last night that if a Republican is a few points behind a Dem incumbent at this point, the Republican is likely to win.  I think that's true.  The extra enthusiasm has got to be worth those points, and more.  I hope it is worth those points in, especially, California and Washington state, so that Barbara Boxer and Patty Murray can plan retirement parties.  Maybe a joint party.  They're very big on communal efforts on the left. 

October 26, 2010