Happy Anniversary, Barack: How's That Hopenchange Working Out?

The man who would change politics as we know it has accomplished just that. A year after being sworn in as president he's completely invigorated the GOP and breathed new life into a party given up for dead just a year ago.

That's change we can believe in.

Yes, US politics have become so volatile of late that sweeping projections about last night's returns probably shouldn't be made quite yet.

Still, this is the fifth time in three months that Obama has focused his star power to effect political and policy outcomes -- losing each time.

It didn't work in Virginia and New Jersey, where he roller-skated in for Democratic gubernatorial candidates Creigh Deeds and Jon Corzine last November.

Or in Copenhagen, when he popped in to tout Chicago as host for the 2016 Olympics.

Or in Copenhagen again, last month, at the global climate-change conference.

And now this.

Obama needs to get better at anticipating outcomes. Each time he commits his personal prestige -- and that of his office -- and then loses, he diminishes both.

So far, he merely looks foolish.

Pretty soon you'll have Republicans calling Obama, pleading with him to campaign for their opponents.

Meanwhile, a deeper look at the Massachusetts results show results sure to stun. For example, in Barnstable, where Hyannis is loctaed, Brown blew out Coakley 12,331 to 7,543.

Meanwhile, Brown this morning has a message for the Democrats. They're not going to listen either way, and they'll pay in November.

Asked on NBC's "Today" show if the election was a referendum on Obama, he replied, "No, it's bigger than that."

"I just focused on what I did, which is to talk about the issues — terror, taxes and the health care plan," he said. "I don't think it was anything that she did." Brown noted that he was able to establish himself as a strong candidate, traveling across the state "while they were in the middle of their primary. ... People enjoyed the message."

He called the Obama-backed health care system "not good for our state," and said he didn't think the voters would stand for any effort by Democrats to delay seating him in the Senate. Brown said Democrats would pay at the polls in November for any "political chicanery."

Meanwhile, it's refreshing to see the same people whose belligerence helped squander the Democrat advantage upping the ante. They'll never learn.