Before we let the confetti drop and pop the champaign corks it's worth remembering that Democrats also had strong generic leads at this point in 2002 and other years only to see it evaporate like a light rain in the desert. The other side still controls the agenda.
I just get uncomfortable whenever we start acting like anything but the underdog.
-- Dems take generic ballot lead in the spring -- GOP revs up war rhetoric -- Dems fall right into it for fear of "looking weak" -- "Strong" Dems clean up in November.
Well, one of those didn't happen.
Think the party's learned anything?
According to Polling Report, the generic numbers in March 2002 in most polls show each party within five or so points of the other, apparently more or less at random.
Which I suppose may mean that today's NPR numbers actually tell us something.
Three things:
#1 - I couldn't find one 10 point Dem lead on that page
#2 - 5 of the last 6 polls have the Dems up by 10 or more
#3 - Bush's job approval in 2002 was typically around 66%. Bush's job approval in 2006 is typically around 33%.
Some people are the victim of 'false memories'. Bush supporters have their false memory of Bush being unpopular in 2003. Democrats have their false memory of being up by huge margins in 2002 and losing.
