E Pluribus Unum

Two weeks before the election, before a single early voter has had his vote counted, before even a single vote has been cast in a voting booth, Democrats are now assumed to be the favorites to take over the House and perhaps even the Senate.

I'm not buying it.

Similarly, Jim Leyland (manager of the American League champion Detroit Tigers) has had it with predictions of his team's inevitable victory in the World Series and he wants to set the record straight:

"...I'm tired of hearing about what a favorite we are, and how the Cardinals -- they're happy with their one win," Leyland said. "Let me tell you something about the Cardinals: You have been writing for the last several years, they've got one of the greatest, and some people think the best defensive third baseman, of all-time.

Attention Democrats: Stop it. Stop measuring the drapes in the Speaker's office. I don't want to hear about how we're a shoo-in. Like the Tigers' manager, I want to disabuse y'all of any notions you have that this is going to be a slam-dunk:"[The Cardinals have] the best young player in all of baseball. They've got an eight- or nine-time Gold Glove center fielder, a great player. They've got a Cy Young pitching tomorrow night. They've got the All-America baseball player at shortstop.The Republicans have an overwhelming edge re: cash on hand. The Republicans have an awesome GOTV machine, probably good for an undetected 5-7 percentage points in the polls. And they have a set of gerrymandered congressional districts that were designed to protect incumbents -- Republican incumbents.

"[The Tigers are] a great team," he added. "I don't really think the Cardinals, [are] happy about it. But I don't think they've gotten the credit they deserve. When you start talking about the Cards, you better look closely. They also have probably the best young catcher in baseball. I'm not sure we're favorites."

We Democrats better stop assuming we are the favorites because if anything -- anything! -- keeps us from taking either house of Congress, the traditional media will pivot and declare an historic mandate for the Republicans. And we'll only have our own complacency to blame.

So I don't want to read anymore press clippings or click on any blog posts saying "we're going to win." I much prefer the role of the underdog. I like the idea that we may yet shock the world. I like the idea that Bush and Rove could wake up on November 8 with a nasty surprise while our team is preparing for our victory parade.