They're gonna rewrite history, as they've already started doing, but know this: The Republicans expected to do BETTER in 2004. In the fall of 2003 and into early 2004, there was talk of building an awesome Reagan 1980-style mandate with Bush's wartime popularity. You already know that they managed a Carter 1976 victory instead. But let me remind you what the GOP thought at the start of this cycle.
- "Purple" states. There was talk of Bush's war leadership winning over voters in nominal Gore states. That's why Bush visited Pennsylvania 40+ times in his first term. That's why he stumped so hard in Wisconsin and Michigan. That's why he visited New Jersey and Cheney visited Hawaii.
In the end, he won most of his 2000 states, lost New Hampshire, and narrowly won Iowa and New Mexico. It was the closest electoral victory since 1916, when Woodrow Wilson edged out Charles Evans Hughes.
- They were going to take 7+ house seats. The DeLay redistricting plus the Bush landslide was going to demolish Dems in the House. Instead, the Dems made minor losses. They're not in great shape now, obviously, but the GOP had hoped to put the opposition below 200.
- They were going to knock off blue state senators. Patty Murray and Russ Feingold were targeted. They ran Rosario Marin in the California primary in the hopes she could beat Barbara Boxer.
In the end, Democrats won the only seat that went for the other party's presidential candidate - Salazar in Colorado. Republicans made no gains in blue states, and Feingold actually won his biggest majority ever.
I'm not putting on rose-colored glasses here. I think the losses of Castor, Bowles, and Carson were big setbacks. But they were much less than the GOP had hoped going into this election. Remember that when Tom DeLay tells you to start supporting his revolution.