ELECTIONS DEPT:
Yesterday was a good day for Republicans, though it was too bad about NY 23. Still, a good day; this grudging analysis from the AP is instructive:
"Lessons from the off-year elections: The president's influence is limited, independents rule, incumbents beware, issues trump ideology and, once more, "It's the economy, stupid."
Also: Republicans can win — even if they lack a leader and their base is cracked. And this certainly isn't the Democratic-friendly political environment of 2006 and 2008 when the party captured control of Congress and the White House."
Yes, Republicans can win--even though we at the AP still can't keep ourselves from trying to suggest they can't!
And by the way, who says social issues are always losers for conservatives and Republicans? They should check out Maine.
NR's editors had a good summary of what the elections last night proved, too:
"Democrats are taking solace in the banal truth that these elections were not solely referenda on President Obama. The Democratic candidate in Virginia ran a pathetic campaign, and the Democratic governor of New Jersey was a failure. The elections nonetheless offered proof (not that any should have been needed) that Obama cannot transfer his popularity to his allies. They showed that the powerful negative reaction to President Bush may have run its course. And they suggested that important aspects of Obama’s agenda are encountering formidable resistance, not only from the core supporters of the Republican party but also from independent voters. We would not blame the president if he took up smoking again."
And if the anti-Bush reaction has indeed run its course, then the Obama White House will only hurt itself with its endless reliance upon that mantra...
Meanwhile the Obama team continues to try to spin the results:
"The White House distanced itself Wednesday from Democratic losses in two states, saying the races for governor hinged on local issues and were not a referendum on President Barack Obama....White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that voters in both states went to the polls to work through "very local issues that didn't involve the president."
Oh--so THAT'S why Obama went several time to New Jersey, to campaign for Governor Corzine...and THAT'S why the national Democratic Party pumped in millions of dollars to both the Virginia and New Jersey races. Because the races didn't concern or have anything to do with Obama at all. Got it!
MAUREEN DOWD UPDATE:
Once again, in the midst of complaining about all the hate, rancor, and "calumny" supposedly evident in the work of Rush Limbaugh and the Right in general, she then very personally and with much evident hate and rancor attacks...Rush Limbaugh and the Right. (She even attacks Limbaugh for his past addiction to Oxycontin, which he's admitted to and beaten.)
The problem with Ms. Dowd, of course, is that she has no idea just how hypocritical she's being and, even if she did, she probably wouldn't see anything wrong with it.
NFL DIARY:
I didn't even have time the other day to talk about the Indianapolis Colts, who this past Sunday had to grind out an 18-14 victory over San Francisco. There was concern over the closeness of the win in Indy, over how the 49er defense broke up the Colts' offensive rhythm, over how Peyton Manning wasn't as sharp as he had been, and over the tough schedule now awaiting the team. But I'm with those who go this direction: that you're not going to be exceptionally sharp every week, that opposing teams are going to give you their best effort, and so you're going to have to win grinders and winning-ugly kind of games. Indy did that last week. That's a good sign. Championship teams do it.
But make no mistake, this weekend's game against Houston, which has won 3 in a row and boasts Matt Schaub, Steve Slaton and Andre Johnson, will be a tough one.
NBA DIARY:
The Detroit Pistons this year are a new-look bunch--smaller, faster, more offensive-minded, but maybe questionable defensively. And right now they're beat up. But they found a way to beat Orlando last night, 85-80, and played defense while doing it. A good sign, maybe. They're 2-2 so far on the season.
Meanwhile the Dallas Mavericks are now 3-1 on the season and have won 3 in a row, beating Utah 96-85 last night. The star of the game? Easy--Dirk Nowitzki scored 29 points...in the
fourth quarter, sparking a Mavs comeback from 16 down. That's what a true superstar does...
