Ramesh, you remind me that there was a discussion a day or so ago on Morning Joe about how the Left is offering “something” and the Right is offering “nothing” but doing well because they have anger, and apparently anger is enough (or so the discussion went). The rightmost on the panel were driving this line of argument. It all came up in the context of Scott Brown — which seems an unfair insult, even if most of us didn’t know the guy much before (or after!) Christmas. But New Jersey and Virginia’s November gubernatorial wins were also offered as seemingly clear examples of this nothing for something dynamic.

Anger, of course, was a factor in these victories and in the Brown surge. But anyone who has followed the races knows that’s not all of it. I think what you’re seeing, and will continue to see, is the Right making populism a friend — adapting conservative substance, actual ideas, to attractive, rallying package. I think that’s going to have to play a role in any near-term future victories.