Everyone knows Democrats are going to take a beating tomorrow. Estimates vary on how bad a beating — and, hey, you never know, there could be some surprises. But I do know this: Democrats and their supporters are going to be blown away by the narratives that are seeded on election night and emerge in full bloom by Wednesday morning.
Some you’re ready for: The election proves that America is a center-right country. Voters have ratified the Republican agenda. Democrats took a bad economy and made it worse.
But those are the easy ones to predict. If history is a guide, Republicans will parlay this victory into grand proclamations about “what it means” in the same way you might start a negotiation with an over-the-top demand. The higher your initial demand, the studies suggest, the higher the ultimate settlement price. Same thing going on here.
Unfortunately, history also suggests Democrats won’t counter with a ridiculously low offer. If you thought Democrats had trouble putting together a coherent message during the campaign, wait until they’re a defeated and demoralized party. They won’t be up to countering these narratives, which willing friends in the media will help the GOP perpetuate. It’s not going to be pretty.
