It was at a somber gathering of conservative poo-bahs at The Heritage Foundation two years ago where I first heard the question posed in the headline. It was Richard Viguerie’s ironic response to Paul Weyrich’s weary observation that the GOP desperately needed new ideas and leaders in the wake of the Democrats’ regaining power in Congress.

Surveying the doleful results of yesterday’s election this morning reminded me of that scene, as well as how similar things look today, compared to how they looked for the GOP on the mornings-after LBJ’s 1964 landslide and Jimmy Carter’s 1976 victory over Jerry Ford.