This is going to be a short entry. If the republicans underestimate Obama, and believe they have him finished off, they may be in for a surprise. It is a big advantage to be underestimated. And Obama seems very focused on taking baby steps forward. And he is. For the republicans to take the public opinion of the moment and think that they can coast on that and win a year from now is foolhardy. And in the end, I don't believe the majority of American voters will reward what appears to be a purposeful avoidance of helping Obama get some things done. Besides, it's way too soon to tell what will happen in 2010, and historical patterns aren't as reliable for predicting as they used to be.