Energized Opposition?

" Long thank you. Well today's elections are just a taste of what will happen next year when. Every seat of the house and a third of the US senate will be on the ballot chief Washington correspondent Jim Angle reports the first mid term elections of most presidencies. Have not been kind to the party in power."

" Only two presidents in the last century have avoided losses in the house for their party in the first mid term elections. George W. Bush in the aftermath of the attacks on 9/11 and Franklin Roosevelt in 1934. During his efforts to combat the depression."

" But those -- the two exceptions that prove the rule. In the other cases since World War II. I'll -- seventeen held seats have been lost on average in the first mid term election for the president's party."

" No one expects the Republicans to win the forty seats they need to take back the house but they're likely to start chipping away that's not comforting to those working to reelect Democrats in 2010 such as Chris van Holland. But neither is it a surprise. Way back in January. We made it clear to our members on the democratic side. Get ready fasten your seatbelts. Because is going to be a tough cycle and the good news for losses they've been preparing. From day one the first round of congressional elections for a new president are always a challenge for one thing the soaring rhetoric about coming together for which mr. Obama was famous is far more unifying. Then actual government in which any policy decision -- downed -- But disappoint even irritate other. And so you've got liberals now has some of them complaining that the Obama administration's not doing enough fun in the direction they'd like to see. Not enough for instance to push through full board government run health care option or to wind down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan among other things. While policy decisions Kenseth the enthusiasm of supporters. They can also energize opponents."

" A lot of enthusiasm -- among opponents but some of the president's programs and the democratic proposals. In much less enthusiasm among the Democrats and Obama fans than there was a year ago."

" While Democrats have a comfortable margin in the house that he is not the case in the Senate where Democrats have just enough votes to prevail. If they're Republicans were able to bring the Democrats -- from their current sixty. To even 57 or 58. They will be able to win a lot of votes on the floor of the Senate since of course you need sixty to cut off debate. And avoid a filibuster with our margins in both houses the most ambitious parts of the president's agenda could be at risk. Because the mid term elections can determine how much support Enron and -- president has. Or whether his power starts to why I mean half way through his term in office. -- Jim facts."