A look into the future

[Vosem]

Let's suppose Obama/Biden beats a Romney/Rubio with our average Predictions map (ie, as compared to 2008, Romney picks up FL, IN, NC, and NH). However, Republicans pick up a net 4 Senate seats, and manage to limit the Democrats to (let's just say) a net gain of 2 seats in the House.

Would this be viewed as a Republican victory or a Democratic victory? On the one hand, Obama's elected, but that's maintaining the status quo, but Republican opposition in Congress has grown fundamentally stronger. Will the media see this for what it is (an increase in Republican power), or is the Presidency so all-dominating 2012 will be seen as a Democratic victory, just for reelecting Obama?

[Devils30]

For practical purposes it's a draw but if the economic recovery continues it's usually the presidents party that gets the windfall. Ask the 1980s dems how much the reagan years helped them haha.

[This user has not been convicted of 34 felonies]

I'd consider it a minor Republican victory.

[Mechaman]

For practical purposes it's a draw but if the economic recovery continues it's usually the presidents party that gets the windfall. Ask the 1980s dems how much the reagan years helped them haha.

Actually the Reagan years were more mixed in terms of partisan power.
The Republicans did hold the Senate for six years, but the Democrats consistently had 55% or more power in the US House from 1981-1989.

However, it should be noted that back then there were a lot more Blue Dogs in Congress than there are today, which is why Reagan was successful in pushing his agenda through Congress despite Democratic majorities in either/both house of Congress during his presidency.  Technically, the most Republican years in the 80's were Reagan's first two as President (which is probably true for a lot of Presidents) which are generally regarded as his "meh" term.