"These numbers are scary. We've lost every advantage we've ever had," GOP pollster Tony Fabrizio said. "The good news is Democrats don't have much of a plan. The bad news is they may not need one."

There is more at stake than the careers of GOP lawmakers. A Democratic-led Congress could bury the last vestiges of Bush's legislative agenda and subject the administration to high-profile investigations of the Iraq war, the CIA leak case, warrantless eavesdropping and other matters.

In the past two congressional elections, Republicans gained seats on the strength of Bush's popularity and a perception among voters that the GOP was stronger on national security than Democrats.

Those advantages are gone, according to a survey of 1,003 adults conducted this week for The Associated Press by Ipsos, an international polling firm.

* Just 36 percent of the public approves of Bush's job performance, his lowest-ever rating in AP-Ipsos polling. By contrast, the president's job approval rating was 47 percent among likely voters just before Election Day 2004 and a whopping 64 percent among registered voters in October 2002.

* Only 40 percent of the public approves of Bush's performance on foreign policy and the war on terror, another low-water mark for his presidency. That's down 9 points from a year ago. Just before the 2002 election, 64 percent of registered voters backed Bush on terror and foreign policy.

* Just 35 percent of the public approves of Bush's handling of Iraq, his lowest in AP-Ipsos polling.

"He's in over his head," said Diane Heller, 65, a Pleasant Valley, N.Y., real estate broker and independent voter.

Troubled Congress

As bad as Bush's numbers may be, Congress' are worse.

Just 30 percent of the public approves of the GOP-led Congress' job performance, and Republicans seem to be shouldering the blame.

By a 49-33 margin, the public favors Democrats over Republicans when asked which party should control Congress.

That 16-point Democratic advantage is the largest the party has enjoyed in AP-Ipsos polling.

On an issue the GOP has dominated for decades, Republicans are now locked in a tie with Democrats - 41 percent each - on the question of which party people trust to protect the country. Democrats made their biggest national security gains among young men, according to the AP-Ipsos poll, which had a 3 percentage point margin of error.

The public gives Democrats a slight edge on what party would best handle Iraq, a reversal from Election Day 2004.

"We're in an exceptionally challenging electoral environment," said Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, a former GOP strategist. "We start off on a battlefield today that is tilted in their direction, and that's when you have to use the advantages you have."

Those include the presidential "bully pulpit" and the "structural, tactical advantages" built into the system, Cole said.

One of those advantages is a political map that is gerrymandered to put House incumbents in relatively safe districts, meaning Democrats have relatively few opportunities to pick up the 15 seats they need to gain control.

For Dems, raised expectations

In the Senate, the Democrats need to pick up six seats.

"I think we will win the Congress," Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean said, breaking the unwritten rule against raising expectations.

"Everything is moving in our direction. If it keeps moving in our direction, it's very reasonable to say there will be a Democratic Senate and House," said Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Strategists in both parties say it would take an extraordinary set of circumstances for Democrats to seize control of Congress.

First, the elections would need to be nationalized. Democrats hope to do that with a burgeoning ethics scandal focused on relationships between GOP lobbyists and lawmakers.

Secondly, the public would need to be in a throw-the-bums-out mood. It's unclear whether that is the case, but 69 percent of Americans believes the nation is headed in the wrong direction - the largest percentage during the Bush presidency and up 13 points from a year ago.

Third, staunch GOP voters would need to stay home. Nobody can predict whether that will happen, but a growing number of Republicans disagree with their leaders in Washington about immigration, federal spending and other issues.

Bush's approval rating is down 12 points among Republicans since a year ago. Six-in-10 Republicans said they disapproved of the GOP-led Congress.

"I'd just as soon they shut (Congress) down for a few years," said Robert Hirsch, 72, a Republican-leaning voter in Chicago. "All they do is keep passing laws and figuring out ways to spend our money."

Who stands each week on those corners in Port Orange, Daytona Beach and Ormond? Are these campus radicals or anarchists? No, those who stand are our neighbors, folks who study history and current events and see beyond the mainstream claptrap news . A blend of retired teachers, librarians, union organizers and working nurses (Rita, Frances, Walt, Bernice and Mona). . Former and present educators, store managers, landscapers, even a " Ph D." (Jack, Sue, Rod, Rene, and John D). Retired government employees, working professors, county officials, veterans (Robert, Ruth, Barbara, Jamie, Don). In Daytona we see a CPA, working moms with two jobs (Phil, Kathy, Doreen) regularly standing together in earnest. In Ormond, outside of Wal-Mart, of all places, a single mom schoolteacher, a banker and an infirmed Viet Nam veteran (Marge, Donna and Pete). Little by little, more are joining them on those street corners each Tuesday at 5 pm, Thursday at 6 pm and Saturday at 10 am. Students, postal workers, small business owners, all kinds of regular folks seeking change. Making a statement before even that becomes forbidden in this fragile republic of ours.

Cars whiz by, as cars always whiz by at rush hour in any town. For 19 months, the Port Orange group has watched and waved, and yes, debated issues of war, health care, corruption, cronyism and wasted life. All on that very same corner, at the very same time and day, in a very ordinary town in Florida. Strange occurrence lately, though. More and more of the folks in those cars are beginning to get it. A symphony of honks and waves and thumbs up sent forth to the demonstrators. Some even heed the most imperative sign displayed: " WE NEED YOU ... PLEASE PARK AND JOIN US! " And, as the line of sign holders grows from the original eight per week, to now well over 30, hope does spring eternal. Yet, in Ormond this Saturday, the three aforementioned stalwarts stood alone. And, as the "bully loves the vulnerable", so too does this trio meet the most terrible assortment of sneers and ****. If only their numbers could increase, would then the cowards and hypocrites shrink from view.

When change and sanity finally come to America, and we have a Congress and White House that puts people before politics, remember those street corner protesters. Remember the street corners throughout America, and those who stand there, week after week. Not the twice a year events that draw the crowds but never the consistency. It seems it's always the dedicated and selfless who bring about a better world. Confucius said it best: "You succeeded because you tried again!!" Perhaps more Americans need to stand for something, now don't they?

P. Anthony Farruggio is a progressive talk radio host in Port Orange Florida

The government of conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel had previously argued in vain that the investigation would be a time-wasting distraction that would stir up anti-American feeling at a time when Berlin is trying to repair U.S. ties.

But the three opposition parties teamed up to force the inquiry after a spate of media reports alleging that two German agents in Baghdad helped the United States launch its invasion, including by picking out bombing targets.

Questions for the inquiry include whether ministers or officials knew and approved of the handing of information to the Americans, and of the details that were passed on.

Among those who may face pressure are Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who at the time was chief of staff and intelligence coordinator under Merkel's predecessor, Social Democrat Gerhard Schroeder.

SOME INTELLIGENCE PASSED ON

The issue is controversial in Germany because public opinion strongly opposed the Iraq war.

Schroeder, won an election in 2002 on the back of his public opposition to any military "adventure" in Iraq.

Merkel's conservative-Social Democrat coalition government has acknowledged that some intelligence from the two agents was passed on to the United States, including information on the Iraqi police and military presence in Baghdad.

But it says they played no role in selecting bombing targets, except to warn the Americans against hitting civilian sites such as hospitals.

Merkel herself is not under fire because her party was in opposition at the time. But by keeping the Iraq war in the headlines, the inquiry could hinder her efforts to turn over a new leaf in relations with Washington, which were badly strained by Schroeder's opposition to the invasion.