QUOTE OF THE DAY – AT 5:45 P.M. ET:  From Wes Pruden of The Washington Times:

Scott Brown has given the Republicans an opportunity, not a cure - either for his party or the country. He's showing the Republicans how to get up to fight again. He stopped the rush to destroy American health care (with all its manifold shortcomings still the best place in the world to get sick) and remake America into a European nanny state. Mr. Brown succeeded because he didn't adopt his party's usual war cry: "I'm a Republican but I'm not as bad as you think."

If the Democrats can't learn the lesson of Massachusetts, there will be other Scott Browns on the way. In many quarters, disappointment and disbelief have yet to turn to determination to get up off the floor.

COMMENT:  True.  The most important point, though, is Pruden's line that Brown has given the GOP an opportunity, not a cure.  Republicans are still unpopular.  There is no coherent platform.  As we noted earlier today, there are serious signs of regional splits, with egomaniacal forces barging in and demanding ideological purity, a death knell for any party in this pragmatic country. 

The GOP should not use the Brown election as a vote of confidence, but as a vote of what is possible – with discipline, attractive candidates and a good dose of sanity.

January 24, 2010