CBS ponders the implications of next week's off-year elections in NJ, NY and VA. But CBS only ponders the implications of Republicans winning. Seems odd.
From CBS News blog [emphasis added]:
If both Christie in New Jersey and McDonnell in Virginia win, expect vocal celebrations from the Republican Party and maybe some swagger suggesting that the Democrats are slipping.
Former George W. Bush adviser Karl Rove suggested the worst for Democrats in his Wall Street Journal column Thursday: “Tuesday's election will provide the most tangible evidence so far of how strong a backlash is building—and just how frightened centrist Democrats should be of 2010. For Republicans, it looks as if hope and change are on the way.”
In reality, while Republicans will undoubtedly be energized, Democrats still have a year to fire up their voters to prevent Republican gains in 2010.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with looking at the possibility of Democrats losing all three elections next week. And I guess there's nothing wrong with quoting uber-partisan Karl Rove giving his doomsday scenario for Dems.
However, there is something wrong with the fact that the CBS article never imagines the flip side. It never ponders the implications of Dems doing well next week by retaining the NJ governorship and pulling off an upset in the Upstate New York Congressional race, both of which, according to recent polling, remain a real possibility.
Next week's elections are already being framed as bad news for Democrats and a boon for the GOP. Might be nice if the press considered that the opposite remains a possibility as well.
UPDATED: Right on cue, Mike Allen at the GOP bulletin board (i.e. Politico) publishes this gem today:
COULD DEMS GET BLOWN OUT ON TUESDAY?
Keep in mind that the headline is for an item about how the NJ race is too close to call. Y'know, the race in which the GOP candidate enjoyed a double-digit lead just a few months ago and his now fading in the polls to Dem. John Corzine. But Allen only has one question: Will Dems will get “blown out.”
UPDATED: More Allen idiocy:
New Poll Shows Corzine Could Lose