We're seeing something happen these days that's a welcome change from cycles past: Democrats reaching out to our contenders for legislative seats and putting their muscle, and their name, behind the young blood.

For example, Hillary Clinton, not a woman with a particularly open schedule these days, has endorsed - and campaigned for Eric Massa, Dan Maffei, Brian Foley, Kristen McElroy, Don Barber, and others up and down the food chain. Similarly, Governor Paterson - the subject of much grumbling in the political class in the summer due to his attempts to play nice with Skelos - has raised money for Dollinger, Foley, Addabbo, and others. All of this is announced in a daily stream of email releases.

What could bring our normally fractious Democrats together like that? Bright red oozing billows of blood in the water, for one thing; the other side has never had a weaker bench or a worse environment. This is the endgame, the final battle for New York; and I think we're going to win.