The left was never "losing" this debate. The entire issue has been about changing the conversation from things like gas prices to instead putting conservatives on the defensive about social issues like birth control.
Even if the specific issue of forcing church organizations to cover contraception polls well for us, we are still losing the war because we are not talking about the economy, gas prices, debt, etc. Worse, because there really are social conservatives like Santorum who really can't resist weighing in on his belief that contraception in general is bad, the issue continues to become more about whether condoms and birth control pills are morally okay rather than how outrageous it is that the government is now requiring religious institutions to cover them.
We are never, ever going to win this debate. We could if the issue could remain solely on the appropriateness of requiring church organizations to cover contraception - but with so many social conservatives who actually do oppose birth control in principle, the issue will never remain focused on the insurance piece of the debate.
Every day that we are talking about this is contraception nonsense is a giant political loser for the Republican party.
On the contrary, these topics are in the headlines almost daily.
I don't believe they are winning the contraception debate either which is why they wanted to get the attention on Limbaugh.
States are dropping planned parenthood funding at a record rate; these centers are being closed (which is why the left is desperate right now to have other entities pick up that slack).
Thing is...the public doesn't seem to care much about the closings...they care much more about the economy and Obama will continue to be on the hot seat.