[MNJohnnie]

I suspect VA will be ignored and the NJ results hyped if the Dems lose in VA but win in NJ. I don’t think they will hear the message at all

[lt.america]

I think you are right about New Jersey. In all reality New Jersey should be seen as a harbinger of things to come even if Corzine remains, because if Daggett hadn't entered the race, some polls have Corzine down by 10 pts.

I just wonder how some of these “moderate” Dems are going to vote on healthcare and cap and trade given this August and the upcoming races. I suspect some may be listening but I agree that the Democratic leadership as a whole is whistling passed the graveyard. Hopefully they get the message in 2010 when it is too late to do anything about it.

[ExNewsExSpook]

I think you hit the nail on the head...yesterday’s WaPo article was the official Democratic benediction on the Deeds race, and the first attempt to separate the “Annointed One” from the defeat.

Truth is, Deeds ran as an Obama Democrat, supporting all the “right” issues and launching vicious attack ads on Bob McDonnell. What will be interesting is Deeds’ response to the Post article—and criticism from the Obama camp. My guess is that Deeds will be rewarded with some ambassadorship or similar high-level post. So, he’ll go quietly into the night, and avoiding besmirching “The One.”

[EDINVA]

The White House leaks about the VA race are meant to innoculate Obama from fallout with a Dem loss. The elected Dems will get the message from both places, but are trying to divert the public’s attention from a humiliating electoral outcome, even if they win in NJ. ‘94 wasn’t THAT long ago.