Losing the argument According to Michael Barone

Michael Barone on WHY THE PUBLIC ISN'T BUYING IT: Liberals overplayed their hand

The exit poll showed that though the GOP label had lost support since 2004, conservatives didn't lose their edge over liberals. The health-care debate has shown that the economic distress caused by the financial crisis and recession has not, at least so far, moved significant numbers of Americans to change their views on the proper balance between markets and government.

"I don't want the folks who created the mess to do a lot of talking," Barack Obama said on a campaign stop in Virginia on Aug. 6. "I want them just to get out of the way so we can clean up the mess." When a politician tries to stop debate, it's a sign he's losing the argument.

Obama seems to have let the House Democrats overplay their hand. He ignored the fact that in our system neither party ever has all the advantages.

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Few people know American politics and campaigning like Michael Barone. He is principal coauthor with Richard Cohen of the respected Almanac of American Politics, the bi-annual political guide to districts, census figures, district histories, elections, and the politicians Americans elect.

Barone is an author of several books and a writer for U.S. News and World Report (archives) and (blog) until his recent move to the Washington Examiner (archives).