I think you have it. The rats spent 2 years slamming and lying and few in the gop would stand up to them or call them liars. Add to that the nitwits who decided to teach the gop a "lesson" by not voting or voting for a rat. Unfortunately some polls do show some truths and even the legitimate polls show and showed during the election cycle that the "people" out there came to believe what the dems were saying about Bush and the gop. Did anyone out there with the position or resources to do it stand up to them like was done in 2002 and 2004? Very very few. In 04 there were plenty of people and groups who countered the lies like the swiftboat vets. It helped. Unfortunately even during that election there were plenty of "conservatives" who did not approve, don't be mean, don't talk back, don't say anything that might offend. That attitude is what lost 06. The dems knew in 06 that they could say and do anything they wanted; lie, pack ballot boxes, vote illegals and the gop would do and say nothing. Just keep up the "nice" and the rats will continue to slap and kick the gop and they will continue to win and those with your attitude will continue to lose.