But, with the advent of computerization in the redistricting business, two incumbents might well get together and trade two houses on the north side of a street who vote Democrat, for two families on the south side of the same street who vote Republican.
He musta just forgot where he heard that.
Third, there is that Karl Rove-Ken Mehlman turnout operation which might well make the difference in enough races to keep the GOP in power.
Let's say overall turnout is about where it was in the last mid-term election: About 74 million voters.
Divide that by 435 races and you have about 170,000 per race - in close races about 85,000 per candidate.
If the GOP turnout operation turns out 2,000 people who might not otherwise have voted, you might have a number of Republican candidates who win by 750 votes, instead of having lost by 1,250.
I still believe a large number of voters will go to the polls solely on this basis: "I don't like the guys who are running things now; but I don't trust the guys who will take over if the Democrats win."
That might be winning ugly; but it will still be better than losing.
On the Secret Decoder Ring page today: Links to the Subscription Page; the Jonathan Alter column; and the section of the Meet the Press transcript discussed above; a Mullfoto showing why Amtrak engenders such confidence; and a pretty interesting Catchy Caption of the Day.