What a difference a year makes.

Last January, Democrats were streaming into Washington eager to celebrate not just the inauguration of Barack Obama as president, but also their party's ascendancy from coast to coast.

They'd gained ground in once-Republican turf such as the Mountain West and the Border South, added to their majorities in Congress and topped it all by seizing the presidency. "Yes, we can," a triumphant Obama trumpeted, and the country seemed to cheer in agreement.

Now, the country seems to be yelling back, "No, you can't," and putting the Democrats on the defensive heading into next fall's elections, when the entire House of Representatives, 37 seats in the Senate and 39 governor's offices...