Washington in 60 Seconds: Are Democrats About to Lose Congress?

Good morning, Capitolists! It's especially good if you are a Republican on Capitol Hill, where a stalled agenda, scandals and other factors have combined to make 2010 look for the Democrats uncannily like 2006 did for the Republicans, when they lost their majorities in Congress and their momentum for the 2008 presidential elections.

If you're a Democrat, take comfort in the fact that the elections aren't tomorrow. Maybe you'll get your mojo back before the votes are counted.

If you're curious about what all the fuss is about, read on.

- Good News. The House passed a $15 billion measure yesterday to give a tax break to businesses hiring people who have been out of work for six months or more. The bill passed despite vocal opposition from liberal Democrats, who wanted a bigger bill, and conservative Democrats, who didn't like the price tag. Chalk up a win for Nancy Pelosi, who now must manage those same factions on the health care bill.

- Bad News. Jeff Zeleny of The New York Times writes up the front-page story Democrats fear most going into the midterm elections, one connecting Charlie Rangel to David Paterson to John Edwards, Rod Blagojevich and Eliot Spitzer as the new Culture of Corruption. "Taken together, the cases have opened the party to the same lines of criticism that Democrats . . . used effectively against Republicans in winning control of the House and Senate four years ago," he writes.

- Worst-Case Scenario. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi answered a barrage of questions yesterday about Rep. Eric Massa, the freshman Democrat who said he's leaving Congress because of a cancer diagnosis, not because of an ethics investigation into whether he made advances to male staffers. "There had been a rumor, but just that," Pelosi said. "No formal notification to our office that anything -- a one-, two-, three-person-removed rumor that had been reported . . . which they didn't report to me, because, you know what? This is rumor city. Every single day, there are rumors. I have a job to do and not to be the receiver of rumors." The worst-case scenario for Democrats would be a repeat of the 2006 Mark Foley scandal, which was the final blow to Republican hopes of keeping control of the House.

- Harry Reid's Hometown Paper Says No Reconciliation. The Las Vegas Review-Journal editorializes against the 50 + 1 strategy that Democrats, led by Reid and President Obama, will try to use to pass health care reform. "Can Mr. Obama ram through his hugely unpopular scheme by throwing the Democratic Party on the scrap heap? Maybe; it will be nip and tuck. But if he ekes out a victory with 50-plus-one, can he then continue to govern?"

- Another Democrat Heading for the Exit. Rep. William Delahunt (D-Mass.) announced last night he will retire after seven terms in office, reports the Boston Herald. In a statement, he said, "The decision had nothing to do with politics. I've been wrestling with this decision for a while." Despite his announcement, Republican retirements still outnumber Democrats, 19 to 16.

- Mitt Romney's Worst-Kept Secret. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney speaks at the National Press Club today at noon, ostensibly to talk about his new book, "No Excuses." But he's also expected to share the worst-kept secret in America -- that he'll run for president in 2012. Watch it live on C-SPAN.org.