Thank Tom Delay Today

When Barack Obama wins the election tonight, take a moment to thank Tom Delay,
Jack Abramoff, Karl Rove and all the other corrupt Republicans who handed Democrats
the 2006 election and set the table for this year's rout.

And when you've said your thank yous -- and taken a few gleeful swings at
your George W. Bush piñata -- let your mind wander back a couple of decades.

It was Watergate that led to the Democratic tide in 1974 and allowed an outsider
-- a "change" candidate named Jimmy Carter - to walk into the White House
in 1976. And that reign, as you may recall, did not last as long as we might have
hoped.

Again in 1992 the Democrats managed to seize control of the White House and
both branches of Congress but within two short years it was lost to Newt Gingrich
and the "Contract with America."

So tonight we will celebrate, but starting tomorrow it would be wise to remember that
a bad economy, dumb politics or a little hubris-turned-into-corruption can land
you right back where you started.

With two short years before the Obama Democrats face the next election, here's
hoping we don't repeat history.