Pelosi: Democrats facing toughest midterms ever

How could this be with her outstanding leadership?

The 2010 congressional elections will be the "toughest midterm elections Democrats have ever faced," Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) acknowledged today.

Pelosi made the statement in a fundraising pitch for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, urging supporters to help Democrats beat back Republican attacks.

"The Republican defenders of the status quo are shouting because they understand that this is the toughest Midterm Election that Democrats have ever faced," Pelosi wrote, hinting at Rep. Joe Wilson's (R-S.C.) outburst.

"They also understand that this is a critical month for health insurance reform and they are trying to deal a serious blow to President Obama's agenda for moving America forward."

Pelosi's comments acknowledge a stark reality for Democrats. The president's party almost always loses seats in a midterm election, especially in a president's first term. But Democrats' ambitious agenda--healthcare reform, climate legislation, etc.--combined with a still-lackluster economy makes Pelosi's party particularly vulnerable in 2010.