Getting one bill passed is close to impossible. Ask any kid who has spent a summer in Washington, or better yet a semester, and can’t understand how people tolerate its menu of constant frustration. Imagine mastering it. She did. Imagine keeping all the independent contractors marching in the same direction when their jobs are at stake. You could say she made it hard, but you have to admit the Republicans did not at any point make it easy.

Some day, when our kids or grandkids take it for granted that everybody has a card that allows them to get health care when they’re sick, maybe she’ll be remembered as courageous. Even today, you aren’t going to convince me that Democrats would have fared better in this election if they had nothing to show for the last two years.