Earlier this summer, as the economy slowed and the winds of scandal swept through Washington and Wall Street, it looked likely that the Democrats would win big in November. But the two month long debate over war with Iraq, initiated and orchestrated by the Bush administration, may have blunted this outcome.
This was the Democrats' dream, but Iraq wasn't the primary factor. None of the Democrat trial balloons gained traction (to badly mix metaphors). The voters just didn't care about any of the issues they raised, and when they tried to stir up scandal, more of it stuck to them than to the Republicans.
The Democrats will be surprised at how badly they do on November 5th.
Enquiring minds want to know.