Each day seems to bring another step backwards in the effort of Congressional Republicans to make up ground against the Democratic majority. Today the question is whether GOP Congressman Vito Fossella of Staten Island will be forced to step down in the wake of his DWI arrest, and the revelation of his extra-marital affair and out-of-wedlock child:

After waves of conflicting reports over the weekend — he’s resigning, he’s staying, he hasn’t decided — Fossella made no public statement Monday, even as his lawyers appeared in Alexandria to handle his DWI case, which was put off until late June.

As a confirmed believer that the glass is half-full, it falls on me to point up the silver lining: if Fossella does not seek re-election, the leading Republican contender for his seat could be New York City Councilman James Oddo. You will remember Oddo from this clip, which was a minor internet sensation.

This being New York, Oddo's tirade probably helped his political career more than hurt it. And given the level of anger toward Washington, Staten Islanders might see this incident as proof that Oddo's exactly what Congress needs.