Rendell: Dems are wusses, but they're closing the gap

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, a former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, told Fox News today he thinks Democrats have acted like "a bunch of wusses" when it comes to selling the health care bill to voters, but still sees some of the key races tightening in his state, and suggests that's true of other races across the country.

In the race for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, Democrat Joe Sestak has closed a wide gap and finds himself now in a virtual dead heat with Republican Pat Toomey with 10 days to go. The Real Clear Politics average has Toomey maintaining a 2% lead, down from a 10% lead in September.  Rendell says the difference is Democrats have decided to vote.

"They are no longer questionable, they are likely voters," Rendell said. "They've decided even though things aren't perfect, there is a choice here and the choice is to support Democrats who generally are proponents of their values much more than the Republican candidates."

While Rendell is optimistic about Democrats' chances in Pennsylvania, others aren't so sure. Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, still gives a "fingernail's edge" to Toomey.

Rendell also called out his fellow Democrats as "a bunch of wusses," suggesting candidates are afraid to stand up for what they believe, citing the health care bill as an example.

"The American people are convinced by good spin that the health care bill is going to increase the deficit," Rendell said. "There are so many good things in health care we just haven't talked about them. We've let everyone push us around."

Voters get to decide who to "push around" in a little more than a week.