no hangover

Okay, this is a damn fine morning.

I'll admit it, I passed out like a drunk Jewish grandmother with a glass of Manischevitz last night (lingering illness + lingering jet lag = very tired Alison) and did not get to see all of the results. But this morning, despite the fact that the rainstorm has knocked out my cable, I've been catching up all morning.

I stayed up late enough not to be surprised by the glaring "DEMOCRATS TAKE HOUSE" headline on the Post, but it was a joy to see nevertheless. But the good news just keeps coming. As a Democrat, this is not a sensation I've experienced in a while . . .

But it's not just that we have regained the House after 12 years and that we have the first woman Speaker of the House and the first black Governor of Massachusetts and that we have gained ground in the Senate. It's also that voters -- including young voters -- turned out in strong numbers and gave a collective message of "screw you" to Bush. It's also that South Dakota failed to pass a devastatingly restrictive abortion ban.

There was bad news. Lieberman (CT) is a winner (at least according to the voters in Connecticut and his mother), as is Schwarzenegger (CA). Chafee (RI), despite being a good man, got taken down by his party. Ford (TN) lost in a dirty race that reflects poorly upon the fine people of his state.

Worst of all? Colorado, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia and Wisconsin voters chose hate over family values and voted for bans against gay marriage.

Okay, maybe it's not such a damn fine morning after all.