Now they tell me.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Listening to candidates debate may not be the best way of guessing who will win an election....

Moreover, co-author Jesse Shapiro of the University of Chicago said: "Hearing what they say make you worse at predicting."

Pollsters, on the other hand, did a somewhat better job this time around. The Senate widget that's appeared in the sidebar these past few weeks wound up at 51 Ds and 49 Rs, which is what will be the case if Ds pick up both Montana and Virginia. Currently they're running ahead by hairline margins in both states, with some kind of recounting thing occurring in Montana and Virginia forced into a recount by state law. I wouldn't bet on either one quite yet myself. And even if they both do wind up in the D column whent he smoke clears, there's always Lieberman.

As to the House, well my advice is if you're a D celebrate early and celebrate often, because it won't last long. IMHO everything, but everything that goes wrong for the Rs in the next two years will be the fault of the House Ds, and you're in for two years of serious bashing before we all go to the polls in '08. Two years, in which the Rs will attempt to transfer all their failings, going all the way back to Nixon, to the vengeful, spiteful, extremist Ds. Pretty it will not be.

Woohoo.