IMO President Obama just might have a 60-seat Senate majority to work with!

[ProgressiveEconomist]

Or at least need only one Republican plus Lieberman (and Sanders).

WHAT'S YOUR OPINION? Here's my reasoning, with links to two articles that got me thinking in these terms:

We currently have a 51-seat majority (counting Sanders and Lieberman).

Three turnovers of open seats are pretty much in the bag:
1 VA: (Open - R)
2 NM: (Open - R)
3 CO: (Open - R)

Four R incumbents outside the South are in deep trouble:
4 NH: (Sununu - R)
5 MN: (Coleman - R)
6 OR: (Smith - R)
7 AK: (Stevens - R)

Thus a 60 seat majority wihout Lieberman would require 3 victories in 4 Southern states that may be in play:
8 NC: (Dole - R)
9 GA: (Chambliss - R)
10 MS: (Wicker - R)
11 KY: (McConnell - R)

IMO, Dole is the most vulnerable of the four. If Chambliss falls too, Lieberman will be able to trade whatever he wants for cloture every time. Only if Wicker and/or McConnell lose too do Democrats get to kick Joe L to the curb.

See http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081025/ap_on_el_ge/congress_stakes and http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/election_2008/battle_for_congress.html

[onehandle]

1. I think it's unlikely. Here in Georgia, it would take a ten point lead for a Democratic win.

Diebold picks our "winners."

[ProgressiveEconomist]

2. Yes, GA is a key to automatic cloture, and there have been very puzzling election results there

recently. That's why I said in the OP, "Or at least need only one Republican plus Lieberman (and Sanders)."

Such an outcome certainly would be something Obama could turn into a green light for change, don't you think?

Think more positive.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

3. Anti-wet-blanket KICK!

[LittleBlue]

4. I really want to kick Joe L to the curb

That bastard has to be marginalized.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

5. If we get pleasant surprises in MS and/or KY you very likely will get your wish