As the senior political strategist in the White House, Karl Rove tried to make the recent U.S. mid-term election a "choice" not a "referendum." It was a last-ditch effort to hold off the Democrats, but it failed miserably. In the end, American voters treated the election as referendum on the Bush administration --and they made their voices known.
The Democrats captured 24 of the 33 Senate seats that were contested. They also received 53 percent of the two-party vote. Voters were not only looking for a change of direction in Iraq, but the end of 12 years of Republican rule in Congress.
A day after the election, President Bush appeared to be a changed man. "This is a great opportunity for us to show the country that Republicans and Democrats are equally as patriotic and concerned about the future and that we can work together," he said.
It was a relief that Americans who critiqued Bush administration policies were no longer considered unpatriotic. But it was also noteworthy that bi-partisanship was no longer a dirty word.
The Nation magazine called the election results "The Great Retribution," while Paul Krugman in The New York Times said we might be seeing the downfall of movement conservatism "the potent alliance of wealthy individuals, corporate interests and the religious right that took shape in the 1960s and 1970s." He adds that this that alliance might once have had something to do with ideas, "but it has become mainly a corrupt political machine."
Whether the election marks the end of the conservative movement is an open question. But the Democrats assuming control of the Congress is a badly needed check on the White House. It also puts pressure on President Bush to enact a phased withdrawal of troops from Iraq.
But just as importantly, the election was a rejection of the Karl Rove's "splitters" or fear-and-smear politics. In the past Rove has targeted "elitists," liberals, unions, trial lawyers, and gays for political advantage. Let's hope that politics has ended, or is at least marginalized.
The Democrats face many challenges in Congress. Strong leadership will be required. But can they change the political culture in Washington? That's a tall order, but after 12 years of arrogant Republican rule there's a tremendous appetite for change.
The Republicans attempted to distract Americans from the critical issues in this campaign. But people weren't buying. Instead they voted for change. Early signs indicate Bush has grasped the message, but Democrats will need to continue the pressure for a new policy in Iraq and a major re-thinking of American foreign policy.
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