By DICK MORRIS & EILEEN MCGANN
November 8, 2006 -- The Democrats seem to have
taken over the House. That means that, regardless how the cliff-hanger races in
the Senate turn out, the key question is whether the Republican leaders will
shed their arrogance and understand that they need to listen to the American
people.
Even if recounts and razor-thin margins deliver the
Senate into Republican hands by the narrowest of margins, 2006 is a major defeat
for the GOP and only a fool would deny it.
In Iraq, obviously, America is delivering a message
that if we keep shedding blood to battle for democracy in Iraq, the GOP will
lose to the Democrats in the United States. President Bush has asked Americans
for patience - but their patience has run out. They see a mess in Iraq and
aren't prepared to put up with it any longer.
But if the GOP leaders in Congress had been
steadfast to their agenda apart from Iraq, they might have done far better last
night. It was, ultimately, their failure to produce when they held the White
House and both houses of Congress that led to yesterday's losses. Had they
passed Social Security reform, immigration reform and tougher measures for
homeland security, they might have survived Iraq.
Instead, they squandered their lead through an orgy
of self-indulgence and narcissism. The lobbyist travel scandals, the Foley
affair and earmarking of funds for every last piece of pork in their districts
cost the Republicans their virtue and their House majority.
It is cruel that it is the House leadership that is
unhorsed by the election. The House passed all the legislation it had to enact.
It was the Senate that failed.
So Senate Republicans need to get their act
together. The Bill Frist leadership couldn't produce. Sen. Mitch McConnell of
Kentucky is the likely new Senate GOP leader. But former Majority Leader Trent
Lott (a former client of mine) is determined to resurrect his career and run for
the Whip post vacated by Rick Santorum (a victim of the Democratic tide). Lott
knows how to make the trains run on time; he could team well with McConnell.
Perhaps Republicans will start to demonstrate that they've begun to get the
message of Election Day.
Eileen McGann co-authored this column.
