If any lesson comes from this, it might be that Obama needs to be a bit more selective in whom he throws his weight behind. Maybe he should have helped get an electable alternative into these races, rather than trying to paint lipstick onto a pig.

Looking to next year's elections, the primary for Michael Bennet's Senate seat in Colorado will be interesting. Obama has already endorsed Bennet, despite the fact he has no successful track record (he's never won an election and was the surprise appointment to fill Ken Salazar's seat) and is being opposed by a very popular former state House speaker, Andrew Romanoff. Polls have Bennet losing to the likely Republican challenger and it's hard to argue that Romanoff wouldn't be a stronger candidate. Speculation is that Obama is backing Bennet because he needs him for health care. But is that worth losing a Senate seat in the next election?