Campaign Notes

I wouldn't be gloating too soon; in fact, I would be asking a LOT of questions about how Obama, who isn't "the greatest orator of our age," got as far as he has on as little ability and experience. It was a set-up, a clear set-up by the GOP to screw us down the road.

This analysis is better, and the Democrats are really being set up to fail.

The Democratic gains in the congressional races were in large measure due to the increased turnout among youth and minority workers associated with the Obama campaign. The Democrats also had an unusual financial edge as corporate donors shifted a considerable amount of campaign funds away from the Republicans. Both House and Senate Democrats raised more than their Republican counterparts.

According to data filed with the Federal Election Commission, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent $77.5 million in the 90 most competitive House raises, compared to only $24.4 million for the National Republican Congressional Committee. This three-to-one spending advantage mirrors that enjoyed by the Obama over McCain in the final month of the campaign.

Democratic candidates also made significant gains in state legislative races, taking over control of the New York state senate, giving them control of the entire legislature and governor’s office there for the first time since 1935. In the entire Northeast region comprising 11 states from Maine to Maryland, the Republican Party controls only one state legislative chamber, the Pennsylvania state senate.

When you talk about corporate donors giving piles of money to Democrats, don't expect the Democrats in return to act like the Democrats of yore, including FDR, Truman, JFK, LBJ, or even the more conservative Carter or Clinton.