Democrats have been on offensive in the House in every single non-9/11 related election since 1994. They had a rough year in 1996 only because of Clinton's selfish desire to win 50% by dissociating himself from the Democratic Party. His "Third Way' politics didn't help him reach 50% and the Democrats failed to win back the House. GOP reached its beachhead in 1994, and it's all been downhill in their House standing since then.
I'm guessing that you slept through 2002. Also, in 1996, the Republicans towards the last couple of weeks of the campaign (with Dole failing, as he always did) ran a "don't place too much power in the Democrats' hands" type of campaign.
If the same thing happens in 2008, don't be surprised to see a similar refrain.
He did say "non-9/11-related", and the 2002 elections were nothing if not 9/11-related.
