Tom Paine - Common Sense: The Loyal Opposition: A Meaningless Election? That's What Some People Think

"A lot rides on this election. Corporate lobbyists in Washington have already prepared a Christmas wish-list, in optimistic anticipation of the Republicans bagging the one seat they need in the Senate. The list is no surprise: more tax cuts, deregulation, and -- their equivalent of a pony -- major tort reform."

Dick Morris on Fox News had an early report that there is another significant drop in support for Bush. Still not many people talking about the Democrats retaking the House.

Washington Post: Short Race, Long Vote Count Expected in Minnesota Senate Race

There are some problems in Minnesota besides the great tragedy of Wellstone's death. Governor Ventura will appoint someone else besides whoever runs for the lame-duck session just after the election. Also right now they plan to not count any early votes for Wellstone but will count the early votes for the other Senate candidates. Early Democratic voters have to come in and cast a new ballot but Republicans do not.

Newsday: Breslin - Where was Bush and Ashcroft? Campaigning when a sniper was gunning down children in the nation's capital.

Gallup Poll: Public attitudes about the economy have worsened significantly over the past month, according to the latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll. Now almost six in 10 Americans (58%) rate the economy as poor, while just four in 10 (41%) rate it as good. Bush's rating on economy Suffers currently, just 49% approve, while 44% disapprove -- the worst rating Bush has received on this issue since taking office. In another poll on the economy their index of investor optimism has dropped to it's lowest level since they began measuring it. This is not good for the economy, it's a leading indicator, or Republicans.

Newt Gingrich has come out of retirement to already start lying about Mondale. Sunday he said that Mondale headed a commission that wanted to privatize Social Security, The Republican party has already polled in Minnesota, say the race is too close to call and are preparing to come out smearing.

Although the East coast media - that ha! ha! liberal media establishment - is saying that Democrats have no chance to take the House. The latest computer model based on Gallup polling shows a significant swing to Democrats likely.

The Bryan - College Station Eagle: Walter Cronkite warns war with Iraq could lead to a wider nuclear war. He also worries we now have an oligarchy, not a democracy.

MyDD -- Oct 28 2002: This analysis forecasts the Democrats to win two takeovers and one open, Republican-held seat, while the Republicans win one takeover. This nets two seat for the Democrats, resulting in a Democratic-voting majority of 53-47.

Houston Chronicle: Democrat Tony Sanchez, in a campaign ad released Monday, accused Republican Gov. Rick Perry of politically exploiting a lawman's death in a commercial linking Sanchez to the 1985 murder of a DEA agent. This is an unbelievable low for the GOP and Perry. There was a fall-off in early voting later in the week compared to 1998, it may be due to this constant barrage of negative political commercials on television. Negative commercials depress turnout - particularly Democratic turnout.

NYPost : The Time/CNN poll revealed that 72 percent of Americans now feel that people arrested with small amounts of marijuana should not do any jail time, while just 19 percent favored sending pot smokers up the river.