Here he comes to save the day…

That mean's the Carpetbagger's on the way! Responding to Joshua Green's misbegotten attack on the Democratic leadership in the Atlantic, Steve Benen writes...

In the seven months since the election, the Dems’ standing has improved greatly, in part because of the leadership offered by Reid and Pelosi. The party is united, fundraising is strong, and the polls are showing increasing receptiveness to the Dems’ message about the flaws in the Republican agenda.

In the House, Pelosi has helped lead a sometimes-bickering caucus to victories over the GOP over “ethics reform,” while quietly stoking the fires of scandal surrounding her counterpart (Tom DeLay). In the Senate, Reid has run circles around his GOP counterpart (Bill Frist) on everything from Social Security to judicial nominations, while keeping disparate factions together on nearly all of the big issues. Moreover, both have made institutional changes behind the scenes — staffing moves, establishing “war rooms,” creating party initiatives to reach out to traditional GOP constituencies — that will help the party for years to come.

How, exactly, have things “not gotten better”?

…and I heartily concur. Pelosi and Reid have a nearly impossible task, really. In such circumstances a minor amendment here, a tweaked clause there, would be signs of real success in the face of a relentlessly hostile and increasingly radicalized majority. Our leaders, though, have stepped up to the challenge presented, fought back on some big issues and scored some real wins.

I'm pretty much in the 'we need a program to win an election' camp, but if simple opposition were enough, Reid, Pelosi and their teams and caucuses are doing a better job than I would have bet on.