Stuff That’s Discouraging

1. There’s now almost no chance that the Republicans will take the SENATE now. Despite the large number of seats that are clearly vulnerable from 2006, it looks like the election will be a wash now.

2. The experts who are analyzing the House races are now talking small Democratic gains and cautiously suggesting more.

3. The enthusiasm gap between Romney and Obama has just about evaporated.

4. Bill Kristol has suggested that Romney should step down and the ticket “we deserve” is Ryan-Rubio.

5. The secret message to the rich guys is not being handled by an “I’m sorry, it really was an arrogant and stupid (a moment of weakness) comment that I now have to correct to do justice to the struggles facing ordinary Americans both young and old” from Romney and his guys.

6. Romney’s guys.

7. Romney is going to have to discover and articulate credible and reasonably specific messages on entitlement reform, foreign policy, and repealing ObamaCare (it would be nice to out Obama’s extremism on “the social issues” too) by the debates. It may not be quite enough to notice that Obama said good things about redistribution. (It would be a good beginning to focus on Obama’s promise that anti-American Islamic strife would disappear once he’s elected.)