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"FacebookPinterest\n\n Is this a referendum on Obama?\n\n Do you READ this website? DO YOU? Yesterday's Gallup Nerd-a-palooza was not especially exciting, but it was decisive on one issue: whatever happens in the midterms, it's not about Obama. Historically, of all the variables involved in off-year elections, presidential approval rating has the least impact. Economy, \"mood,\" enthusiasm and\u2014most important\u2014a sense of needing to impose \"balance\" on a national scale, those factors all matter more. Especially when you consider the wildly scattered politics of those who won last night, this election is not about a particular set of policies, or a particular administration.\n\nARE YOU SURE?\n\n Oh, the follow-up question made me totally reconsider my answer! I don't know anymore!\n\nOr, rather: Yes.\n\nDid any of the results actually surprise you?\n\n The Murtha special election race, where the the Democrat won... you're going to be hearing D's talk about it a lot, but with reason: They should have lost that race and they didn't. They won it handily. The outcome suggests that this year might not be the \"wave\" election that most professionals keep saying it'll be. Or at least not a partisan \"wave.\"\n\nWhat does this mean for who will control congress in 2011?\n\n It's still going to be rough going for Dems, but my read of the polling and last night's results suggest that they'll hold onto the House by the skin of their collective teeth. (Though have you seen Pelosi's teeth???)\n\nWill the White House/dems adjust legislative agenda for the coming months in response to these races?\n\n Reid and Pelosi may adjust their agenda to do even less. The White House, on the other hand, has already written off the midterms, if you ask me. I think they know this is not a referendum on them, and that any energy they expend on midterms will be wasted... and that the pundit class will hold it against them. They're going to sit tight and get Kagan confirmed. The already bad blood between the House the White House will only get worse.\n\nWhat can we take away from the results vis-&amp;amp;#xE1;-vis the Tea Party? Did they matter at all? Would Rand Paul have won without them?\n\n Rand would be in the basement playing Dungeons &amp;amp; Dragons if not for the Tea Party. And the success of the Tea Party candidates in GOP primaries is the silver lining for Dems going forward. Because primary voters are not election-day voters. And remember that \"balance\" idea? It means that, on election day, voters want representatives from the middle, not that they want far right to balance far left.\n\nHas science determined whether Arlen Specter can survive without actually holding office? Or does he just melt like the Wicked Witch of the West?\n\n Let's just say this: I look forward to the judiciary committee hearings."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.gq.com/story/ana-marie-cox-answers-the-seven-most-important-questions-about-last-nights-primaries>