I have some random thoughts that I'm going to throw up here in no particular order of importance. I'll put it in list form, though:

1. We lost because the only coherent message McCain had was himself. Other than that, I agree with Ace. Not one "big idea".


2. It is not Sarah Palin's fault we lost. She will be around for a long time. The Republican establishment better get used to it. And McCain's insiders better keep their yappers shut (they won't). She will raise more money than anyone. She is a force to be reckoned with. Deal with it.


3. The Northeast is lost. Can it be found?


4. The South wasn't as sold Republican as it should have been. Can it be reenergized?


5. President Bush will go down in history as a much better president than he has been portrayed these eight years.


6. That said, if I hear "compassionate conservatism" one more time, someone gets pounded. Believing in the individual IS compassionate. The government is almost NEVER compassionate in the way they give "help".


7. Obama is in for a rough road. There is no way he can please his base. No way. If he does, he alienates America. If he fails his base. Oh boy......


8. The press will still cover for Obama. They have invested too much in him to admit they are wrong.


9. It's over. This election season sucked. It was too long, too fraught and exhausting. It is lame that 2012 is being talked about already, but it's the way of the world I guess. For me, I'd like a vacation for a while.

Cross-posted at MelissaClouthier.com