The Day After

[OldGuy]

Interesting comments in the Times about the NYC mayoral election. It was a lot closer than everyone was led to believe. I wonder if the polls showing Bloomberg ahead by 16 points led to a lower turnout and caused the closeness of the race. I think Obama could have made a difference in the results but Thompson was let down by a lot of people.

And in upstate NY it looks like Palin, Pawlenty and their meddling gave the election to the Democratic candidate. I don't know if the Republicans should be all that confident with the results.

[tkinsley]

They also elected a raging liberal/progressive in CA-10. 2 more votes that presumably will be in favor of health care reform (given their campaigning, at least) as well as other progressive legislation .... but for some reason, that's not being discussed.

I do find the ability to spin all of this interesting. The facts really aren't relevant; just whatever lens the viewer sees their political world through. Somehow, according to the Palin crew, this wasn't a loss for them. I'm thinking that level of delusional thinking may require medication.

[OldGuy]

Originally Posted by tkinsley

They also elected a raging liberal/progressive in CA-10. 2 more votes that presumably will be in favor of health care reform (given their campaigning, at least) as well as other progressive legislation .... but for some reason, that's not being discussed.

Interesting in that in most of the exit polls conducted showed that the economy and jobs were the most relevant issue in the voters minds. Health care was down the list. Will the administration change it's way of thinking?

I do find the ability to spin all of this interesting. The facts really aren't relevant; just whatever lens the viewer sees their political world through. Somehow, according to the Palin crew, this wasn't a loss for them. I'm thinking that level of delusional thinking may require medication.

Isn't this always the case (inclusive of both the right and the left)?

[Lou Schuler]

Interesting in that in most of the exit polls conducted showed that the economy and jobs were the most relevant issue in the voters minds. Health care was down the list. Will the administration change it's way of thinking?

That's what I was thinking as well. The commentators wanted to spin it as a rebuke of the president, but the exit polls weren't showing this as a referendum on Obama.

Even in 2010, the Dems figure to lose a lot of seats. That's just the way the way it goes in midterm elections, especially with a troubled economy.

The out-of-power party is far more motivated to win back some of the seats it lost, and the people who did all the work to get their party in power tend to be exhausted and somewhat disillusioned by how little their elected officials are actually able to accomplish.

When Kimberly and her fellow Dems were handing out flyers at the polls on Tuesday, trying to get a progressive slate elected to the local school board, what they heard from voters was that they didn't care about individuals -- they were voting straight-ticket Republican.

It all came down to the only issue they care about: taxes. Republicans promise to cut taxes, so they get elected.