Can Democrats ride a wave to victory?

Americans dissatisfaction with President Bush's leadership, the ongoing Iraq war, skyrocketing gas prices and unease about the economy is helping fuel predictions that Democrats will regain control of the House and Senate for the first time since the 1994 Republican Revolution.

Right now, Democrats hold a 14 point lead over Republicans, 52 percent to 38 percent, in the generic ballot question, a new CNN poll shows. As many as three dozen or more House seats are in play in November as are a handful of Senate seats. Democrats need a net pick up of 15 seats to be catapulted into the majority in the House, while six would give them control of the Senate.

House Democrats are already taking curtain measurements for the spacious office suites in the U.S. Capitol that Republicans now occupy and are talking about their legislative agenda for the 110th Congress. In the Senate, the giddiness is a little less visible but certainly is apparent. Do Democrats really have a chance? It depends on who you talk to.

"The American people have spoken loud and clear -- they are sick and tired of the Republican Congress' focus on the special interests over the priorities of American families," Sarah Feinberg, a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokeswoman, told the Grind. "The American people want change and a new direction for the country, and that change is coming in November."

But Republicans are borrowing one of the more famous political lines uttered by none other than legendary Democratic House Speaker Tip O'Neill (Massachusetts).

"Voters show a clear ability to differentiate between what is going on nationally and their support for their Member of Congress, which is why Tip O'Neill was exactly correct when he said, 'All Politics is local," Carl Forti, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in an interview with the Grind. "Those numbers show that generically people feel bad, but they still like their representative."

The Iraq war seems to be the biggest hurdle for Republicans at this point, the CNN poll shows and GOP leaders acknowledge. Fifty eight percent of Americans disapprove with the decision to go to war with Iraq, while 39 percent support it, according to the CNN poll of 1,021 adults conducted by Opinion Research Corporation last weekend. House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) told CNN's Wolf Blitzer yesterday he believes the negative news about Iraq has hurt Republicans in the eyes of some people.

"I think it's a problem," Blunt said in the interview on 'The Situation Room.' "I have been concerned -- particularly concerned about it since about the middle of January."

But Blunt added that he thinks the formation of a permanent Iraqi government, the scheduled drawn down of U.S. troops, and the GOP's argument that the nation is safer because of the U.S. war on terror will ease voters' concerns.

"I think that will begin to make a difference in the mind of Americans who understand that we have enemies in the world, and we've got to figure out a way to combat those enemies," he said.
Another priority for Republicans in the coming months is to promote positive economic news. A majority of Americans, 52 percent, believe that economic conditions in the country are good, but this is a decrease of seven percentage points in two months, the CNN poll shows.

House Republicans went right to work yesterday on this matter with the successful passage of a $70 billion tax cut bill over Democratic objections. The Senate is expected to vote today on the measure.

While the polling looks good for Democrats now, it is unclear whether it is enough for them to seize the majority in the Senate or the House.

"The numbers indicate the Democrats will gain seats, but will they gain enough?" said CNN's Polling Director Keating Holland.

"Fourteen points doesn't necessarily translate into 15 seats," Holland added, specifically referencing the House situation.

The expected tax cut vote is just one of many events occurring today on Capitol Hill. House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) holds a 10:30 a.m. ET on-camera briefing in the House Radio & TV Gallery; House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-California) and other Democrats release their energy plan at 10:30 a.m. ET in HC-9 of the Capitol; Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and several other Democrats hold a 10:30 a.m. ET news conference in the LBJ Room in the Capitol to express opposition to an insurance bill authored by Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming); Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) and other Democrats hold a 12 p.m. ET presser in the Senate Radio & TV Gallery calling for immediate debate on stem cell legislation; and Sen. Max Baucus (D-Montana) and other Democrats talk about the tax bill in a 1:30 p.m. ET news conference in the Senate Radio & TV Gallery. Pelosi, House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Illinois) and Reps. Donald Manzullo (R-Illinois) and Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-California) address the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Summit between 3:30 p.m. ET and 4:30 p.m. ET in the Cannon Caucus Room. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Georgia) speaks to the group at the Grant Hyatt at 9:30 a.m. ET followed by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-New York).

In other events off the Hill, Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin (D-Illinois) delivers a speech on "Affordable Health Insurance for Every American by 2010" at the Center for American Progress; and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Illinois) and others discusses the midterm elections at a 12 p.m. ET forum hosted by Emily's List.

Bush and First Lady Laura Bush are equally busy today with separate trips out of town. The President meets with Chinese Human Rights Activists at 10:55 a.m. ET in the White House and then heads south to deliver a 3:10 p.m. ET commencement speech to the Gulf Coast Community College in Biloxi, Mississippi. Meanwhile, the First Lady speaks to seniors at Vanderbilt University's Senior Class Day this morning and then attends an afternoon Republican National Committee lunch that is expected to raise $325,000 for the party.

And even though White House spokesman Scott McClellan is stepping out from behind the podium, he is not stepping away from the spotlight, CNN's Ed Henry reports. McClellan is scheduled to appear on 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' on Tuesday. "It will be fun," McClellan said.