On the face of it, the Republicans have no right to even DREAM that they have a chance to win the Presidency this year.

We are in the middle of a drawn out and unpopular war in Iraq, our economy is hurting everyone with higher food prices, gas prices and a growing jobless rate. Our mortgage market is in a shambles. Over 80% of Americans think our country is headed in the WRONG direction. On top of all this President Bush's performance rating is at an all time low. In addition, John McCain would be the oldest man ever elected President and he is not universally liked by conservative Republicans.

So why do polls suddenly show that McCain is running neck and neck with EITHER Obama or Clinton?

President Nixon told me years ago that the most important ingredient in being elected to office is having the right opponent.

In this case Obama and Clinton have done to each other what no Republican now needs to do. Clinton's negative rating is now more than 50%. The number of people who say that she cannot be trusted is almost 60%.

Obama's negative rating has been driven up to almost 40%. In the key electoral states of Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, he is running behind McCain.

The Democrat Leadership is helping to fuel that positive movement for Republicans. After making promises of quick action after the 2004 elections, Reid and Pelosi have failed to deliver a SINGLE MAJOR legislative program. President Bill Clinton has added to the potential Democrat debacle by completely embarrassing himself on the campaign trail, moving his negative numbers to above 50% for the first time since the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

National elections are usually about the future rather than the past. It is becoming more obvious every day that INDEPENDENT voters are looking toward John McCain as the most TRUSTWORTHY candidate. Someone they can trust with our country's future.