The change in the Washington conventional wisdom about what will happen in Tuesday's election is visible in the influential Politico Playbook, a daily morning email from the indefatigable Michael Allen.
Playbook, October 20: "PLAYBOOK ODDS FIXING: If the election were held today, we forecast a Republican pickup of 47 House seats (39 needed for majority; net gain could reach 55)"
Playbook, October 26: "PLAYBOOK ODDS FIXING: Republicans net 51 House seats (39 needed for control)" Mocks as "Tulip Craze" Republican predictions of gains of 62 or 64 seats.
Playbook, October 29: "PLAYBOOK ODDS FIXING: GOP gains 59 in House (39 needed for majority)."
Here at FutureOfCapitalism.com ("read it here first") we brought you Michael Barone's prediction of a Republican gain of "about 60 seats" in the House of Representatives all the way back on October 20. Looks like Mr. Barone was about nine days ahead of Mr. Allen, though, at the rate things are trending, by the morning after the election, Mr. Allen will have joined the "tulip craze" himself. If the Republicans gain 62 or 64 seats we'll send Mr. Allen a bouquet of tulips, or at least a bag of bulbs.
