Suddenly, Democrats see a possibility in 2006 they have long dreamed of: a sweeping midterm election caused by a growing feeling of popular discontent with the Republican majority.  That sense of political opportunity has Democratic operatives scrambling to recruit more candidates in Congressional districts that look newly favorable for Democratic gains, to overcome internal divisions, and to produce an agenda they can carry into 2006.

The agenda is the key issue with democrats, who are widely believed to have lost to Bush due to their inability to produce a coherent message that moderates and undecided voters could rally around.  Democratic leaders, though, feel that this time has past.

“We absolutely have a coherent message to give to the American people,” said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.  “We have taken the time to craft a position platform that speaks to both historical democratic values and the future needs of the American public.

When asked what it was, Reid’s face lit up.  “Well, it goes something like this.  nyyARRRRHhhhhhhHuuughhhhhhhhh.”

House minority leader Nancy Pelosi took some issue with Reid’s statement.  “Harry is very enthusiastic, as are we all, about the opportunities in front of us.  But I don’t think he’s quite got it right. I see the democratic message more as HUUURRRRRuhhhddingerGARRRR.”

Senator Barack Obama smiled knowingly when the conflicting quotes were recounted to him.  “Harry and Nancy are both highly committed people, and they’re important engineers of the new democratic message.  But it’s true that, as a group, we’re still picking through specific wording and phrases, in order to ensure that we are making the maximum impact possible when we launch this campaign to the American people.

“Personally, I think our final position will be a combination of both--something like nnnnnARRHingerGARRRR.  And I’d throw in an Ecki-ecki-ecki-ecki-pclang-zoop-boing-gberzhowliziv.  You know, what the Knights Who Say NI! turned into.”