Bush remains 'eternal optimist" despite polls

WASHINGTON, Oct 27 (Reuters) A lot of Republicans look at Nov. 7 and are very afraid. Not President George W Bush Despite polls showing his party is in for a drubbing, the cheerleader in chief sees a good day.

Sinking under the weight of grim news from Iraq, discontent with Bush's leadership and lawmaker scandals, Republicans could be on the verge of a crushing defeat in next week's congressional elections, costing them control of the US House of Representatives and maybe the Senate.

But if he is worried, Bush going to lengths not to show it. He remains the ''eternal optimist'' against a tide of opinion polls and declaring Democrats so cocky that they are prematurely ''measuring the drapes.'' He insisted, ''November 7th is going to be a good day for the Republicans.'' That contrasts with a gloomier mood of many other Republicans who early this month began to express fears -- mostly behind the scenes -- that the Internet sex scandal involving Rep. Mark Foley had accelerated a downward spiral that would lead them to defeat in at least the House.

''It's calculated to shore up the flagging motivation of Republicans,'' said Bruce Buchanan, a political scientist at the University of Texas.

But even out of the public eye, Bush is not entertaining talk of a possible shift in Congress. In meetings with Cabinet officials on plans for his final two years in office, there is no contingency planning for a Democratic takeover of Congress, officials said.

''It's the only way to proceed,'' White House spokesman Tony Fratto said.

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