You're right, Kevin Aylward, it's time for a calmer, more clinical analysis of last night's election results that stays away from overhyping the positive results for Democrats. So here it is:
You lost, bitches!
Okay, seriously: governor's races do not referendums on 2006 make. And the sound defeat of two ideas whose time apparently hasn't come -- redistricting and gay marriage -- in Ohio, California and Texas (not to mention the defeat of union "paycheck protection") is probably more important to the political bottom line. (Though it's not exactly a shocker for a marriage amendment to pass in Texas of all places -- the real importance there is the momentum it gives to traditionalist movements in future marriage battlegrounds like Florida, which has a referendum cooking for next year, and the fact that it edges the country toward the possibility that a significant number of states (well, at least 18) could theoretically ratify a federal constitutional amendment)... But -- and it's a big "but" -- because Bush and Rove were invoked as campaign themes in both the New Jersey and VA races -- and given Bush's inexplicable decision to needlessly inflict losses to his political "capital" (which is in overdraft at the moment) by injecting himself into the Kaine-Kilgore race at the last minute, like it or not, last night's statewide wins will be judged as a slap at the White House and the GOP, and an inarguable momentum boost for Dems going into next year. (The squeaker win of a Republican attorney general in VA doesn't strike me as a real counterbalance to Kaine's win.) Democrats also now have a nice playbook to work from: lash President Bush to the GOP candidate, field a solid candidate with strong religious/social values and take it from there. (Same gambit worked with Salazar in Colorado last year...) Besides, this is a rare moment of electoral glee for Democrats, and Republicans, Bush-bots and assorted "conservatives" will just have to deal with it for a day or so (including stuff like this from the "so sick of you" press corps...) Enjoy it, bitches! Also in the news:
Voters reject Schwarzenegger reforms ...
... and Diebold machines nearly cost Ahnold his vote... Update: Larry Kudlow seems kinda depressed. Somebody get him a nice tax cut to cheer him up ... A couple of days ago, Craig Crawford wrote about the growing permafrost between the Governator and the bad-luck POTUS. How prescient... Previous: Tags: politics, News, elections, 2008, Republicans, Democrats |
