Democrats see hope, Republicans temper expectations for Tuesday vote

[FrenchieCat]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN) -- In what are either last-minute head games or reflections on a shifting electorate, Democrats are predicting better-than-expected results for their side while Republicans are downplaying the extent of their expected victory in Tuesday's congressional elections.

With less than 48 hours before polling booths open, the comments on Sunday talk shows stayed true to the anticipated Republican gains in both chambers of Congress but continued to differ widely on exact totals.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele was unwilling to project over-confidence, telling CNN's "State of the Union" program that even coming close to the 39 additional seats needed to win back majority control of the House would equal GOP success.

"If we get 39 seats and take the majority, that's success. If we get 37 seats, that's success," Steele said.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/10/31/election.final.predictions/index.html?hpt=T1


Or maybe the Media and the GOP (or are they one of the same?) don't want the GOP to be
overconfident......and after their yearlong attempts at depressing the Dem vote,
now they are just making sure the GOP shows up. :shrug:

[Clio the Leo]

1. Has this been reported here?......

The man in charge of electing Republicans across the country tried to lower expectations Sunday, saying if Republicans win 37 seats in the House and remain in the minority, it will still be a success for the party.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/31/steele%E2%80%99s-election-expectations/

Sounds like bet hedging.

[FrenchieCat]

2. Who knows......

The media used all of the propaganda it had available.....
The corporate buddies gave them all of the money needed....

Guess when your ideas stink like shit, doesn't matter what one does,
at some point, one has to lower the high expectations that got you
where you are.

[FBaggins]

4. Not so much bet hedging as the standard expectations game.

You'll read some Democrats claiming that anything short of a republican takeover of the Senate and all of the bajor gubernatorial races would be a loss... when we know that it's very unlikely that they'll win the senate... let alone all of CA/FL/etc.

[FrenchieCat]

5. "standard" expectations game?

According to the MSM for the last I don't know how long, it is a done deal.
so their game goes from "Sure Category 4" to "Lowering expectations" all in one
weekend? Sounds like a corrupt propaganda game to me.

[FBaggins]

7. Yes... both sides play it all the time.

If you think you're going to win 50... you say that 35 would be a win. That way if you're dissapointed on election day and fail to take the House by one... you still claim victory.

Similarly... if you expect to lose by 50 you say that everyone expects to lose 70... so that 50 will seam like a win. What do you expect Pelosi to say? "were going to get clobbered" ?

so their game goes from "Sure Category 4" to

Category 4 isn't the republicans' "game"... that quote comes from a well-known long-time democratic pollsters/consultant.

Sounds like a corrupt propaganda game to me.

Sorry... spin/"lowering the bar"/ propaganda/whatever... you say tomato...

[DJ13]

3. They're Mad

[rury]

6. They're probably hoping that Democrats will get complacent

and not vote, while hoping that Repukes will see victory slipping away and get even more ginned up to go to the polls.
Or...some internal polling on both sides is showing that the Rethugs are REALLY not in as stong a position as previously thought.
The latter scenario would be gooooooood!
At any rate, it's not over, just GOTV!!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

8. Go right now to the front page of "Huffington Post." Who needs Drudge Report

when there's always Politico and Huffington Post?