Via Greg Hengler, one of the more provocative takeaways from last night’s jumble. In fairness, the Reagan realignment of the 80s was no less real for having suffered big blue gains in the 1982 midterms, but it is strange to find Democrats getting utterly destroyed, especially among independents, in a newly “realigned” state just a year after The One made it part of his unicorn kingdom. For all the laughs conservatives have had over his narcissism, this year’s results actually underscore what a strong candidate he is: When you remove his personal charisma and Hopey/Changey sermonizing from the equation, you’re left with … Creigh Deeds, and even a Republican as nondescript as Bob McDonnell can put the boots to someone like that. To put it another way, for Democrats, The One really might be The One; and, alas for the national GOP, right now there’s no one on our side who quite measures up head to head. But at the local level, in state or House races? Why shouldn’t a guy like Christie be able to beat Corzine, even in a Democratic stronghold? Why shouldn’t, say, Carly Fiorina be able to beat Boxer? Their party’s littered with at least as many unappealing losers as ours is. Take Obama off the top of the ticket, toss running trillion-dollar deficits into the mix, and it’s anyone’s game.
For further thoughts, read James Pethokoukis on re-realignment and Ace on ObamaCare. He asks a good question: If we’re now living in the Democratic paradise, where the silent majority’s itching for a glorious new health-care entitlement and purple states can be expected to break blue most of the time, why is the White House so eager to get cover for Blue Dogs by wooing RINOs in the Senate? Own the bill, Democrats. Bathe in its realignment glory.
