The poll was conducted April 19-22, with a MOE of 3.4% (827 voters).

Iraq timetable? 51% say yes, 42% no.

This conservative state sees Bush as a miserable president:

The poll also found that President George W. Bush's approval rating, which has been around 40 percent for the past year, is at an all time low in Arizona at 36 percent. When asked how they think Bush will be remembered compared with other U.S. presidents, more than half of Arizona voters think he will be considered as below average (22 percent) or as one of the worst presidents in history (31 percent). Only 17 percent believe he will be remembered as among the best (3 percent) or above average (14 percent).

And their favorite son, John McCain?

Support for Sen. John McCain's candidacy in the Republican presidential primary race declined from 44 percent in February to 32 percent in the most recent poll. *** Of the registered Republicans interviewed in this month's poll, 32 percent would vote for McCain and 27 percent would vote for former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

The McCain Candidacy

On the partial-birth abortion decision:

Forty-four percent indicated they support the Supreme Court decision, 46 percent disagree and 10 percent were undecided or had no opinion.

I think these are remarkable figures for Arizona.

Vice President Cheney exiting his motorcade in Foggy Bottom to scattered boos from pedestrians as he went to visit his doctor at George Washington University. A spokeswoman later said doctors were checking on that blood clot in his lower left leg -- seems to be improving, they say.

http://www.washingto...

Bush, never entranced with life in Washington, detests dealing with a Democratic Congress. Reflecting annoyance and fatigue, he is unwilling to withstand incessant attacks from the likes of Reid and is ready to fight it out for the over 20 months left in his term. Retaining Gonzales means Bush has slipped behind the barricades.

All the Republicans in Congress whom I contacted view this as pure folly. For the long term, they predict that constant war by their president against the majority Democrats would cast a pall on the Republicans' chances of retaining the presidency in 2008. For the shorter term, they foresee nothing but trouble from Gonzales continuing in power. "I cannot imagine," said a House GOP leader who would not be quoted by name, "how [Bush] thinks Gonzales can function effectively with no Republican support."

"This is the most incompetent White House I've seen since I came to Washington," said one GOP senator. "The White House legislative liaison team is incompetent, pitiful, embarrassing. My colleagues can't even tell you who the White House Senate liaison is. There is rank incompetence throughout the government. It's the weakest Cabinet I've seen."

http://www.washingto...

I wonder who it is.

Of the 1,001 American adults polled online April 20-23, only 28% had a positive view of Mr. Bush's job performance, down from 32% in February and from a high of 88% in the aftermath of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

http://users1.wsj.co...

Get the popcorn, relax in the recliner, and enjoy (while praying he doesn't get us into another war, and we have a mild hurricane season).

We're going to lose that LA Senate seat, mark my words.  And there's a solid chance of losing in South Dakota.  And Liebermen is waiting to see who wins the Presidency before he decides what party to stick with.  We have to play the ball game next year like we're down three.  Colorado will probably go our way, and we have a great shot in Virginia if Warner gets in.  North Carolina is tough but doable, and New Hampshire/Oregon/New Mexico/Minnesota are all possible.

We'll have the money with less territory to defend.  But we can't get comfortable.  2008 is going to be a VERY tough year. 

P.S. - Is there ANY chance of finding a moderate-conservative Democrat to run in Texas?  At all?

Of elected officials, you have the mayors of Houston (Bill White) and San Antonio (Phil Hardberger).  They are both popular in their respective cities, but it is uncertain as to whether that could translate to electoral success statewide and whether they even want to be a Senator.  Other than that I don't see any real contenders in the state delegation to the U.S. House and I'm unaware of any in the state legislature there.  State reps there are more obscure because the Texas legislature is in session every other year and for a relatively short period during the year they are in session. 

I have little hope for Texas becoming blue in any near term election cycles.  But demographics may change that in the mid-term.