Have Democrats done a "lousy job" of managing expectations? Will modest success seem like failure?

[DeepModem Mom]

For Democrats, Even a Gain May Feel Like a Failure
By ADAM NAGOURNEY
Published: November 7, 2006


(Charlie Riedel/Associated Press)
Claire McCaskill, left, a Democratic Senate candidate, at a St. Louis call center.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 — In most midterm elections, an out-of-power party picking up, say, 14 seats in the House and five seats in the Senate could call it a pretty good night.

But for Democrats in 2006, that showing would mean coming up one seat shy of taking control of both the Senate and the House. And it would probably be branded a loss — in the case of the House, a big one.

For a combination of reasons — increasingly bullish prognostications by independent handicappers, galloping optimism by Democratic leaders and bloggers, and polls that promise a Democratic blowout — expectations for the party have soared into the stratosphere. Democrats are widely expected to take the House, and by a significant margin, and perhaps the Senate as well, while capturing a majority of governorships and legislatures....

Some Democrats worry that those forecasts, accurate or not, may be setting the stage for a demoralizing election night, and one with lasting ramifications, sapping the party’s spirit and energy heading into the 2008 presidential election cycle....

***

“From a communications standpoint, the Democrats have done a lousy job managing expectations,” said Justin Blake, an executive vice president at Edelman, the public relations firm.

Indeed, (Rep. Rahm) Emanuel and his Senate counterpart, Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, have gone to some lengths not to project overconfidence. Mr. Schumer likes to say that Democrats are “on the edge” of taking back the Senate....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/07/us/politics/07memo.html?hp&ex=1162962000&en=03ec0756df1a73c8&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Adam Nagourney should just put a sock in it.

Tool.

[ShortnFiery]

2. This is SPIN that could have easily been generated by the RNC.

Let's not let the RNC frame the situation if we happen to win the House?

This whole line is, IMO, propaganda to take away the STING of impending defeat for the republicans.

Yes, I know it's the NY Times. Every now and then, they stray from the TRUE issues. :shrug:

[DeepModem Mom]

4. True. I posted because DeepModem Dad has had to remind me...

that it was not too long ago that winning only the House, by only one vote, would have seemed a dream come true.

[ShortnFiery]

5. You're correct. to warn us, especially when this is in the NY Times (WTF!)

Let's hope Brian Lamb doesn't host tomorrow's C-SPAN Washington Journal lest this be the original KEY Article. :thumbsdown: It may be anyway, but let's hope not? :(

Yes, we should always be appraised of what our corrupt opponents are up to with regard to senseless SPIN. They are shameless and not even as creative as they used to be. Why should they? The corporate M$M will run with anything they claim.

Creeps me out but we should be aware. :hi:

[Eurobabe]

3. 4 words: Screw Adam MOUTHPIECE4GOP Nagourney

He and Nedra Pickler have a paid contract to shill for KKKarl Rove.

[JeffR]

6. C A N A R D

My opinion.

[kenny blankenship]

7. I've decided I already don't give a shit what Republinazis say about anything

so I don't care about this question.

[fujiyama]

8. Nagourney is a hack

Ignore articles by him like the plague.

The NYTimes editorial staff is pretty liberal, but they have some real shills for writers. Nagarnouy and Bumillier come to mind. And I also don't trust the editing staff, considering they withheld the NSA story during the election.

[AntiWarPoster]

9. If Dems take back the House,

then that's a huge success. The Senate is icing on the cake.

[Jack Rabbit]

10. That depends on who you ask

I'm not going to expect anything of a Democratic controlled Congress unless they get serious and impeach and remove both Bush and Cheney.

Bush will veto every worthwhile piece of legislation they pass. Or he will just ignore it, saying he has the authority to do so under super secret hidden provisions in the Constitution that only Dick Cheney and Alberto Gonzales can find.

Nothing will be accomplished as long as this regime remains in power. They will stay in Iraq until they have bled the American taxpayers and the Iraqi people dry and completely drain our military recources. Is it going to take anyother 3000 American servicemen and 650,000 Iraqis before we try these war criminals for their misdeeds?

I am voting Democratic tomorrow because it want this to stop. There is only one way to make it stop. Ms. Pelosi, we are putting impeachment back on the table.

[bklyncowgirl]

11. I guess it depends on which Democrats you're listening to.

Howard Dean sounded optomistic but pretty non-commital last night as did Raum Emmanual and Chuck Schumer.

I do think that some people may have gone overboard. If we take back the House it will be a very good night indeed.

[Vinca]

12. I think Dems have been amazingly subdued.

That's probably because we know the last 2 elections have been stolen. I suspect we'll win lots and lots of seats and it will go down in political history as a huge defeat for the Republicans.

[maine_raptor]

13. "Some Democrats";Gee where have I heard that before? n/t

[Justice]

14. how ridiculous is this article. these people are sick.

[Mass]

15. So typical of Nagourney.

[karynnj]

16. What a strange article the morning of the election

It is true that hopes are so high that a result that would have resulted in cheers even 3 months ago will be disappointing compared to the hopes of the last month.

Nagourney has been a Republican flack at least since the beginning of 2004. (I wasn't looking at the bylines befre then.) I wonder if the problem isn't that many at the WP and NYT were and are neo-cons.