So, John Kerry makes a clumsy gaffe, which is then deliberately and shamelessly misinterpreted by the Republicans, and he is forced to apologize and go away and hide until after the election. How much has this hurt the Democrats? Apparently, not at all, according the the latest Newsweek poll:

The new poll finds support for Republicans (and for President Bush) receding. For example, 53 percent of Americans want the Democrats to win enough seats to take control of one or both houses of Congress in the midterm elections on Tuesday. Those results are close to early October levels, while less than a third of Americans (32 percent) want Republicans to retain control. If the elections were held today, 54 percent of likely voters say they would support the Democratic candidate in their district versus 38 percent who would vote for the Republican-a 16-point edge for the Democrats.

Now the election is not being held today--it's Tuesday. I have been saying for months that the only way that the Democrats would not take at least one house of Congress would be either some major development (on the scale of 911 or war) or massive election fraud. Not much time left for the first to happen. Of course there will be election fraud but I just don't think they can steal enough votes this time to alter the outcome. My prediction: the Democrats take the House, maybe the Senate. Actually if the Democrats do not take the House I lose twenty dollars to a Conservative--so vote!

Apparently the American people are smart enough to make the distinction between the war on terror and the war in Iraq. 32 percent now say Iraq is the most important issue in deciding their vote. Terrorism is tied with health care at 11 percent.