Insofar as the Senate, there are, in my opinion, three reason the GOP lost the majority: (1) John McCain, (2) John McCain, (3) John McCain

I can't say I disagree. We can talk until we are blue in the face about the MSM carrying the water for the democrats giving their scandals on us legs and ignoring theirs, and covering up some of the despicable things the Dems did during the campaign. But those are things that you know are going to happen regardless. Our side's failure was in how we handled the things that were under our control. Seems like we worried about the things beyond our control and brushed off the things we could control. Right now, our saving grace may be the fact that the Dems did not run on any positive agenda that was directly ratified by the voters. And because they won with the moonbats and did not purge themselves of their corrupt members, they may not believe they need to make changes. But that only helps us as long as we get our side in order.

Ken

Ted if the GOP blames McCain for all their problems you are gonna find yourselves on the outside looking in come 2008.

McCain repeatedly took the steam out of (sabatoged) GOP initiatives in the Senate, on Sup. Ct. judges filibuster bust-up by creating gang-of 14, on subverting tough GOP immigration move/legislative initiative, on undermining NSA prisoner questioning position of GOP.

McCain stymied every GOP initiative and otherwse popular position in the Senate.

I'm not saying GOP has to go out of its way publicy to condemn McCain -- just keep him away, far away, from any consideration as '08 GOP presidential nominee.

Mccain had nothing to do with Mark Foley, Jack Abramhoff, Chuck Hagel whining about pulling out of Iraq, (McCain has been calling for more troops since the early days of the war), ted Stevens bridge to nowhere, Bill Frist's complete lack of personality, Denny Hastert's protection of William Jefferson, the GOP's refusal to reign in spending, and many many other GOP self inflicted wounds.

The fact is the gang of 14 got 2 conservative SCOTUS judges confirmed that would not have happened without changing long standing senate procedures. Some people think that is a significant thing.

Remember people saying at the time that the GOP wouldn't hold power forever.....

The Dems were wrong to filibuster judicial nominees, that would not have made the GOP right for changing the rules to trump them. I didn't see that at the time and I was wrong. I agreed with you when McCain formed the gang of 14. I declared on Hugh Hewitt's show he had lost any shot at the presidency. I was wrong.

He may be a convenient scapegoat but you are barking up the wrong tree.

You are giving the "Gang of 14" credit for Roberts and Alito? Sorry, I don't think they deserve any credit for any confirmations.

If not for their little demonstration, Republicans would have voted to eliminate judicial filibusters - which would have returned us to the practice for the first couple hundred years of the Republic.

The Gang of 14 was a Republican giveaway. Of the seven Democrats, both Lieberman and Byrd would have declined to participate in a filibuster on principle, while Pryor, Landrieu, and Nelson would have voted for cloture to keep the home folk happy. Even without the "nuke option," no filibuster was going to succeed.