Referendumb

Voters told exit pollsters their local votes yesterday were just that... local... and yet news reporters on TV this morning are insisting on discussing whether yesterday's results in NJ and VA were a referendum on the President.

If ever you needed evidence agenda trumps truth, there you have it. Not that there is some big network conspiracy at play, but rather once producers and reporters get hooked on a storyline or theme, it's virtually impossible to shake them loose, even if the facts point to the contrary.

Maybe the TV peeps should pay more attention to the online peeps. CNN Political Editor Mark Preston:

Democratic losses of these two governorships should not be interpreted as a significant blow to President Obama.

(...)

56 percent of Virginians said that the president was not a factor when it came down to their vote. In New Jersey, that number increased to 60 percent of the people who went to the polls on Tuesday.

Perhaps this was the problem for Virginia Sen. Creigh Deeds and New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine. Neither Democratic candidate was Obama; neither was a great spokesman for "change;" and Democratic strategists and grassroots activists said each candidate failed to give independents a reason to support them.

Still, in the coming days a storyline will develop that this was a referendum on Obama and his policies.