Election Day Quick Tour

In plumbing the newswires for the broader themes of Campaign 2010, I came across this shot from a Connecticut Tea Party rally yesterday.  I’m not sure what to make of the Dunkin Donuts cup, but the other item is a story.  This red sweater clutching the book not only emphasizes how the Tea Party has embraced the Constitution as its own, but amplifies how much the founding document has not just been appropriated, but dumbed down.

Didn’t they used to wait till a Congressional rainmaker either retired or died to dole out these types of honors? What I’m mostly wondering, though, is if this civic marker in Reid’s hometown — as a symbol of power and largesse — will also turn out to signal what brought him down.

You don’t need a lot of symbols if you’ve got effective symbols — and a centrist Republican-turned-Independent who blew the Democrat off the map.

photo 1: Win McNamee/Getty Imagescaption: A Tea Party supporter holds a “The Constitution Made Easy” book during a Tea Party Express rally on Waterbury Green November 1, 2010 in Waterbury, Connecticut. Midterm elections are scheduled to be held tomorrow with the potential of turning the U.S. House of Representatives over to Republican control.

photo 2: Ruth Fremson/The New York Times. caption: Mr. Reid was born and raised here, though he seems as reclusive in Searchlight as he is in Washington. People know he is in town when the shutters at his house are lowered and the black vans operated by the Capitol Police are parked outside.

photo 3: Joe Raedle/Getty Images caption: A cardboard cutout of Ronald Reagan is seen next to a sign showing a picture of President Barack Obama hugging independent Senate candidate Charlie Crist as Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio visits the Republican campaign office on November1, 2010 in Hialeah, Florida. Rubio is the front runner as campaigning comes to an end in the Florida Senate race against his opponent’s independent candidate Charlie Crist and Democratic candidate Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-FL).