Well, So Much For America's "Permanent Majority" Party

I missed most of the election coverage tonight due to a poker game, but am beginning to catch up now (my wife and Slic[k] kept me up to date on the major developments via cell phone while I played). It is certainly a great night for America and a very bad night for Amerika.

And speaking of Amerika, here are a couple of quotes that will bring back some memories:

DeLay himself drew the line sharply the day after the 2004 elections. "The Republican Party is a permanent majority for the future of this country," DeLay declared. "We're going to be able to lead this country in the direction we've been dreaming of for years."

Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform and a leading figure in both the DeLay and Bush political operations, chose more colorful post-election language to describe the future. "Once the minority of House and Senate are comfortable in their minority status, they will have no problem socializing with the Republicans," he told Richard Leiby of The Post. "Any farmer will tell you that certain animals run around and are unpleasant. But when they've been 'fixed,' then they are happy and sedate. They are contented and cheerful."

Oh what a difference two years make.

Perhaps the most shocking thing that happened tonight is that it looks like the Democrats have a real shot at taking control of the Senate. It all comes down to Virginia, where the Democrat James Webb currently leads the Republican George Allen 50% to 49%.

CNN is really pushing the idea that Webb would have been the clear winner in Virginia if it wasn't for the fact that the Green Party candidate picked up 25,000 votes. I look at it a little differently. The Senate race in Virginia came down to one word, and that word was "maccaca." Had Allen not said that word on the campaign trail, then Webb wouldn't even have come close.

A single word might determine control of the Senate. Amazing.