THREE MARTINI LUNCH: NOVEMBER 19, 2014

National Review's Jim Geraghty joins host Greg Corombos. Today's topics: Obama's bull-headed approach on unpopular policies puts Hillary in a difficult position for 2016, the Keystone XL pipeline loses again in the Senate (probably spelling the end for Mary Landrieu), and a Daily Beast column suggests Valerie Jarrett saved the 2008 Obama campaign.



Dems to Obama: You broke our party

No kidding. On almost every measure, the Democratic Party has lost significant ground to Republicans during the Barack Obama era. Six years ago, they seemed ascendant, on the verge of the mythical "permanent majority" not just on the federal level but in state legislatures, politically and culturally, and certainly demographically. After suffering through not just one but two historic midterm debacles, Republicans are now much stronger than they were during the peak of the George Bush era — or even the Ronald Reagan era, in all places but the White House.

Politico reports today that former Clinton advisor Donna Brazile went to the White House two weeks ago with a message. Clean up your act and fix the party you've broken — and make sure Obama takes responsibility for the effort:

Enough, Donna Brazile told White House political director David Simas the day after the midterms.

Democrats are in worse shape than when President Barack Obama came into office — the number of seats they have in Congress, the number of governors, a party approval rating that's fallen behind Republicans for the first time in recent history, enthusiasm, energy. The White House, Brazile said when she came to meet with Simas, has got to focus for the next two years on getting the party into better shape, and Obama's the best and most effective person to get out the message.

The White House has been issuing sunny proclamations ever since the elections and trying to focus on Obama's current activities rather than the massive rebuke he got from voters over his performance in office.

Obama didn't learn the Bill Clinton lesson after the first midterms. He's not interested in learning it after his second massive defeat, either. Even with Bill Clinton's more strategic direction, Democrats ended up losing narrowly at the end of his presidency. Obama may be leading Democrats into a reverse 2008, or perhaps even worse.

Also read:

Barbara Boxer's mortifying anti-Keystone Senate rant

Hillary definitely may or may not support Keystone XL