Democrats have three open Senate seats and one incumbent to defend. But seven Republicans are up for election, he noted. Republicans hold 55 seats in the 100-member body.

"I think we can take back the Senate; we can make this work," said Dean, who added that the DNC has raised $28 million this year, a record. "We'll more than be able to do the things we have to do" financially, he said.

Americans are willing to look at the minority party, he said. And that trend is in Utah, also. Nationally, Democrats hold a 10 percentage-point lead over Republicans when citizens are asked who they'll consider voting for in 2006. But, said Dean, those numbers really don't mean anything a year away from congressional elections.

"See what is happening," he said. "We have enormous deficits, Iraq is deteriorating and the economy is not helping ordinary Americans."

Bush has only a few years to appeal to the 48 percent of Americans who didn't vote for him, only months "to bring the country back together, as he promised to do" when he ran for re-election.

"I think 2006 will be a referendum on President Bush." And Democrats will do well, Dean said.

Dean hopes Bush will nominate a respected, moderate person to the U.S. Supreme Court. Dean declined to suggest any candidates but said Bush should be floating some names publicly now.

Bush met with Senate leaders Tuesday morning, including Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. But while several of the leaders mentioned some names to Bush, the president didn't say who he's considering to fill the court seat held by retiring Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

If Bush names "a judicial activist, as he has to the appeals courts, you'll see a fight," Dean said. But he declined to predict an all-out filibuster on a Supreme Court nomination.

"Democrats are not interested in seeing one-party rule. There is a culture of corruption in Washington, with Rove and DeLay, the concealing of information. It's not a good thing. We'll stand up for America. And we'll fight."

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E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com