Great leaders do have set backs.  I have been thinking about
the events of this week, and it is no doubt historical in American
Political History.  This is not the first time people have taken
their disapproval of a President out on his party in the mid-term
elections.  From looking back we find that the Democrats lost both
Chambers of Congress (House and Senate) in 1946 when Truman?s approval rating was around 30% (Sound familiar?).  George Will has a good piece on Townhall that fits into the situation.

Let?s continue to look at history for a moment, David McCullough?s excellent book: TRUMAN
is a great look into Harry T.?s political battles.  I would
recommend this book to anyone wanting to understand the workings of the
Presidency and Congress.  Truman was in my opinion a decent
person, so he did have a few liberal ideas.  He made the decision
to drop the Atomic Bomb, showing that he stepped up to the plate in
1945 at the Death of Franklin D. Roosevelt to become a wartime
leader.  Not to mention that the policy of the Truman
Administration rebuilt Japan and Germany.  When the war ended
their were some economic problems because of the transition from a
wartime economy to a peace-time economy, but Truman had a view of what
needed to be done.  Well, people took the problems out on him in
1946 when they gave Congress to the Republicans.  So the story
goes, you knew where the guy stood, and he wasn?t afraid to put people
in their place even if you were a war hero (General
Macarthur).   

Another leader that suffered political problems was Winston Churchill,
just months after the end of War World II.  The Brits voted the
Labour into power and Churchill?s conservative party out.  See a
trend?

Ronald W. Reagan also had mid-term election trouble, in 1982 (House and Senate elections) and 1986 (House and Senate
elections).  At no time during his presidency did the Republicans
control the House of Representatives, senate control flipped back and
forth.

So some folks are down in the dumps this week, while others are on cloud nine.  I?m as fine as Dental Sweet Snuff, because just look at these guys and how history has judged them as leaders: