Shortly after Barrack Obama won the election, Bob Novak offered up this comedic gem:

“[Obama] may have opened the door to enactment of the long-deferred liberal agenda, but he neither received a broad mandate from the public nor the needed large congressional majorities. ” Source

So let’s review the facts… Bush in 2004 declaredthat he had earned more political capital after his narrow election win (35 electoral votes and 50.7% of the popular vote making it the narrowest win of an elected encumbect since Harrison/Cleavland).  GOP leaders then claimthat Bush had been given a mandate by the American public.  On the flip side, Obama doubled Bush in terms of the popular vote, quintupled him in the electoral vote and did this all while increasing the Democrats power in Congress.  Maybe shiny graphs will help Bob “the kidder” Novak put Obama’s win into perspective:

See…the big blue piece of the pie is bigger than the little red piece of the pie.  It almost looks like the blue piece of the pie is going to eat the red piece doesn’t it?  Well, that pie represents the difference in electoral votes between Bush (little red pie) and Obama (big blue pie). Sources 2004 2008

In all seriousness, Mr. Novak is a very intelligent and respected man, so what do his comments mean and where are they coming from?  In my opinion, I think it means that Bob Novak cannot remove himself from playing the GOP shill even in the face of this historic election.  That is why Bob Novak will be left behind by most sentient human beings, but sadly will continue to engage those viewers that are unable to move beyond the tired and unchanged partisan views that have hamstrung the US political system for so long.  Why can’t the pundits and politicians see this election for what it was: a cry from the American people for a cathartic shift from the the ineffectual, tired and wasteful behaviours of ALL politicians to something that works in the best interest of Americans not their political parties.