The Connecticut Yankees no longer seem as practical—minded as they were in the day of Mark Twain. Voters in Cynthia McKinney's district in Georgia knew enough to reject nutty left wing oppositionism, even in an incumbent. What is wrong with the Yankees?

Real Clear Politics has its usual collection of top columnists on the subject today, and that is where I am going to find the first analysis. Chief political correspondent Richard Baehr is traveling, but may check in later with commentary of his own.

In the meantime, I think the Democratic Party's lurch to the left will not serve it well. Howard Dean has not worked out, and he is an old hand compared to former selectman Ned Lamont.

But that is no reason for conservatives to gloat. We need two healthy parties able to reason and compromise with one another. That's been the genius of American politics. Bill Clinton almost saved the Democrats by proclaiming himself a new Democrat, in the DLC mode. But the underlying McGovernite trend seems to be reasserting itself — at least among the damn Yankees.

Thomas Lifson  8 09 06

Update: 7:06 AM 8 09 06

John McIntyre of RCP has posted his analysis. He, too, sees disaster ahead for the Democrats, and is full of insight. For example

Nationally, the images from last night are a disaster for the Democratic Party. Perched behind Lamont during his victory speech were the Reverends Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, grinning ear to ear, serenaded by the chant of "Bring Them Home, Bring Them Home." For a party that has a profound public relations and substantive problem on national security, these are not exactly the images you want broadcast to the nation. [....]

 The incessant commentary that 2/3rd of the country is against the war completely misreads the American public, as much of the negativity towards the war isn't because we are fighting, but rather a growing feeling that we are not fighting to win or not fighting smart.