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.

Many analysts have drawn parallels to 1994, when Democrats’ suffered heavy losses in the midterms after an ambitious attempt to overhaul healthcare.