Sixty In His Sights

Oct. 29, 2008— -- With GOP candidates warning about the consequences of Democrats controlling both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, Sen. Chuck Schumer challenged the Republican Party's commitment to divided government on Wednesday.

"They're not for checks and balances," said Schumer. "They're for blocking change and backing Bush."

Speaking to reporters in Washington, D.C., Schumer argued that pleas for divided government work when times are good but predicted that current GOP efforts to scare voters about the unchecked influence of Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would fall on deaf ears because the public's appetite for change is "at least" as big as it has been since 1980 when Ronald Reagan was first elected.

Schumer, who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), made his comments six days before an election in which his party is poised to make significant gains including the possibility of winning a filibuster-proof 60 seat majority.

Schumer said Democrats, who currently have effective control on 51 seats, are significantly ahead in five pick-up opportunities (Virginia, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Colorado, and Alaska). He said Democrats find themselves "a little bit ahead" or roughly even in an additional six pick-up opportunities (North Carolina, Oregon, Minnesota, Georgia, Mississippi, and Kentucky).

Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu is the lone Democratic incumbent to have faced any significant competition this year but she now finds herself comfortably ahead, according to Schumer.

On what he called the "$64,000 question" of whether Democrats would reach 60 Senate seats, Schumer once again called it possible without guaranteeing it.

"It's hard to get to that 60 and I don't want to oversell it," said Schumer. "It's hard because it's lots of very Red States."

The 60-seat question may not be settled until Dec. 2, according to Schumer.

That's the date when Georgia would hold a run-off between incumbent Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Democratic challenger Jim Martin. A Senate run-off is triggered in the Peach State if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote. A run-off in Georgia is possible because of the closeness of the contest between the two major-party candidates and the presence in the race of Libertarian candidate Allen Buckley.

Schumer said he has not seen polling in Alaska since a Washington, DC, jury convicted Republican Sen. Alaska Ted Stevens on seven counts of failing to report gifts.

The DSCC chair expressed confidence, however, that Democrats would win the Alaska Senate seat, adding that Anchorage Democratic Mayor Mark Begich would be helped by calls for Stevens to resign from Republicans John McCain, Sarah Palin, and Mitch McConnell.

Obama's 30-minute infomercial airs from 8:00-8:30 pm ET on Fox, NBC, CBS, MSNBC, BET, TV One, and Univision.

McCain appears on CNN's "Larry King Live" at 9:00 pm ET.

Obama appears on Jon Stewart's Daily Show at 11:00 pm ET.

The Kicker:
"That's Harry Reid but I'm not -- [going to take it]."
--Chuck Schumer checking his caller ID and deciding not to take the Majority Leader's call during Wednesday's DSCC briefing

On the campaign front. . .

JOHN McCAIN
-- 10:00 am ET: Holds Rally in Defiance, OH.
-- 1:45 pm ET: Holds Rally in Sandusky, OH.
-- 3:10 pm ET: Holds Rally Elyria, OH.
-- 6:00 pm ET: Holds Rally in Mentor, OH.

SARAH PALIN
-- 10:30 am ET: Holds Rally in Cape Girardeau, MO.
-- 4:15 pm ET: Holds Rally in Erie, PA.
-- 7:00 pm ET: Holds Rally in Williamsport, PA.

BARACK OBAMA
-- 11:00 am ET: Holds Rally in Sarasota, FL.
-- 5:45 pm ET: Holds Rally in Virginia Beach, VA.
-- 10:30 pm ET: Holds Rally in Columbia, MO.

JOE BIDEN
-- 11:00 am ET (Doors): Holds Rally in Arnold, MO.
-- 4:30 pm ET (Doors): Holds Rally in Williamsport, PA.
-- 7:30 pm ET (Doors): Holds Rally in Allentown, PA.

At the White House. . .

PRESIDENT BUSH
-- 10:00 am ET: Speaks at a graduation ceremony for the FBI Academy in Quantico, VA.
-- 11:40 am ET: Visits the Marine Helicopter Squadron One hanger in Quantico, VA.

POLITICAL NEWS STORIES ON ABCNEWS.COM

ABC News' Jake Tapper: The Obama-mercial LINK

ABC News' Gary Langer: Do You Know This Candidate? LINK

ABC News' Matt Jaffe: Biden Sticks to Script; GOP Claims He's Been 'Muzzled' LINK

ABC News' Imtiyaz Delawala: Palin Suggests Obama Would Re-Write Constitution LINK

ABC News' Jake Tapper: The Khalidi Gambit: McCain Attacks Obama for Connection to Palestinian Activist Whose Work McCain Helped Fund LINK

Obama on McCain tactics: "I'm sorry to see my opponent sink so low." LINK

Obama Botches 70s TV Reference
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School Kids Host Mock Election
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'View' Admits to Having Election Fatigue
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McCain Storms Sunshine State
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Palin Takes on Energy in Ohio
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Palin Rally Invaded by 'Super Fan'
Jimmy Kimmel's Jake Byrd files this humorous report from Beaver, Pa. LINK

The Great Political Pumpkins
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Do Campaign Ads Really Work?
The candidates have spent record amounts of money on advertising this election. LINK

Candidates' Job Plan Debate
Claire McCaskill and Tim Pawlenty compare the candidates' economic plans. LINK

Jake Tapper on Obama's Primetime Buy
The senator has bought 30 minutes of commercial airtime on the major networks. LINK

The Final Push in Primetime
George Stephanopoulos weighs in on Obama's planned 30-minute TV pitch. LINK

Vote 2008: Key Senate Races
ABC's Jon Karl takes a look at several tight Senate campaigns. LINK

McCain and Obama's Final Push
While Obama tries to maintain his lead, McCain seeks to prove polls wrong. LINK

George on Florida Polls
George Stephanopoulos says early voters may have sealed a victory for Obama. LINK

U.S. May Host Talks with Taliban
Negotiations take a different turn in a revamped plan for Afghanistan. LINK

Oregon: Where 'Sizemore' Does Matter
Notorious Bill Sizemore has put hundreds of contested initiatives on the ballot. LINK