[Hoot Gibson]

It's the economy, stupid. Every cycle proponents of both parties crow and crow about a "mandate" and the like when they win. Both parties mistake winning elections 52% to 48% (or less) for some sort of "big sign." I, for one, get tired of politicians talking always about "what the American people want," as if "the American people" is a monolithic mass, instead of a diverse group.

In Coakly's case, Carville might have said, "It's the stupid, stupid." She would have breezed to a 10 point+ win if she was not an imbecile. Anything less than a double digit win for Coakly will make many Democrats very nervous. Republicans picked a very good candidate to run against a very bad Democratic candidate.