The Foley scandal was an unwelcome distraction from attention to national-security issues that are potentially helpful to Republicans but two weeks from EDay it seems that the Foley fallout is localized. Obviously Foley’s own seat is now at risk and members directly caught up in the “who knew what when” suffered some damage. But Rep. Tom Reynolds seems to have been saved by the snowstorm in his Buffalo area district where he effectively mobilized resources to help dig out and in New Mexico, Rep. Heather Wilson, who once served on the board responsible for the page program, has closed on her opponent. The White House made sure that their vulnerable candidates were aware of the terrorist surveillance ad Rep. Nancy Johnson is running and Wilson has been running a version of it to apparent effect.
Republicans’ trusty GOTV operation has kicked in with nightly tracking of early voting and an overall effort that insiders claim is bigger than two years ago. And the White House has aggressively hit the airwaves. Today they hosted 41 talk radio hosts and all hands were on deck. Tony Snow did 25 interviews and Dan Bartlett did 15. Josh Bolten and Karl Rove each did more than a half dozen. The impression is that conservative voters resent the MSM line that the election is in the bag for the Democrats.