Charlie Cook:

This past week has been about Senate control, a House runoff and 2008 presidential politics. That is a lot for what is normally an extremely slow, pre-holiday time of year.

The hospitalization of Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., last week should serve as yet another reminder of the fragility of the Democratic Senate majority. It should also serve as a strong argument for why Senate Democrats should treat the GOP minority with delicacy and some degree of respect. The shoe could easily be on the other foot, and the Senate could switch control again -- just as we've seen in that chamber three times in the last five years.