Cook Calls Obama, McCain the Most Unusual Matchup in History

Political analysts Charlie Cook and Stu Rothenberg both confessed they have been wrong a lot during the past year. "I thought it was going to be a normal year," Cook told Summit attendees in a post-luncheon joint presentation with Rothenberg. "But there has been nothing normal in this presidential campaign so far."

Both parties have chosen presidential candidates that few thought had much chance of winning a year ago, the analysts said. At this time last year, people were strongly suggesting McCain drop out of the race, they noted. And Obama was still just one of the "pack" of opponents running against the clear front-running candidate, Hillary Clinton.

Both Rothenberg and Cook predict Democrats will pick up seats in the House and Senate -- up to five in the Senate and 15 in the House. But neither were willing to call the presidential election.

"We're dealing with one of the most improbable matchups in our history," said Cook. "Nothing about the past year election has been predictable -- I don't know why we should expect it to be predictable now."