Out front

While the press establishment remains transfixed by events in Rome, a glance through the mornings papers makes it pretty clear: Democrats are in control and winning on most of the biggest political issues of the day.

Social Security, Schiavo, DeLay, Bush's nominees, the "nuclear option" are all issues where the Democrats are on the offensive and are framing the debate. Five months ago, could anyone have imagined that the Democrats would be setting the tone in Washington? The GOP majority is basically in a crouch position and it's damaging them politically.

The longer this continues, the better our chances in 2006. Of course, in the end, it will come down to a handful of individual races and how those will shape up still remains murky at best.