Editorial: Remember the message of this election

And in its wake across the nation, those out for Democrats' blood in the feeding frenzy following President Bill Clinton's highly publicized bloodletting were noticeably, finally, silent. Along with the entire nation people watched as Democrats held against speculation, political fractionalization and every prediction they would topple.

And in the silence, the people's voice could finally be heard. The message: Stop it already.

Democrats, far from suffering the projected crushing national loss, gained at least four seats in the House of Representatives by late last evening, significantly shrinking the GOP majority.

Indeed, it seemed the House will be split roughly, even between Democrats and Republicans - a leveling from the unbalanced 228 Republicans to 206 Democrats split this year.

The voters' message: We want a body of qualified lawmakers again, not a clutch of squabbling, expensively-clad kids engaged in a partisan play war. We want progress on policies affecting our lives. No more haggling for the hell of it, using the Clinton scandal as a release for long-simmering party animosity.

No more politicians giving their sound bite pronouncement on the Clinton mess rather than their view on the economy, Social Security and college loans.

Indeed, in a rebuff to the media and the Republicans who waved the red flag of scandal and impeachment, a majority of voters said in booth polls that they were not voting on this off-year because the wins would decide the Congress who decides Clinton's fate.

Rather, they were voting on a Congress who would decide their fate, as lawmakers should.

Despite the drumming of presidential overtones into this off-year election, it remained an off-year election. A people's election. About 38 percent showed, not astoundingly good, not a record bad, as was predicted by some pundits.

High numbers of Hispanics voted here and in other parts of the Southwest. High numbers of blacks voted in the South.

Democrat Tom Volgy, adopted as a champion by Hispanics here, came close to unseating eight-term incumbent Republican Jim Kolbe on this surge.

The message: We are voting for people who can do the best for us, not hit the hardest for their party.

This is as true for Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who cruised easily to victory only after he abruptly cut his stream of president bashing and slipped into a reflective, statesman's guise to our own naturally contemplative statesman Republican Rep. John McCain.

And so go peaceful revolutions. Even revolutions in an off-year. We want to inject sanity into a system gone far too long far too frenzied.

And every politician who slid to victory on the people's vote last night would do well to remember this: The reason for their victory.

You were hired to conduct the business of the nation, not to fuel a speculation and sound bite mill.

This is as true for every member of the slimmer Republican congressional majority as it is for every new Democrat.

Remember yourself. You won on the people's voice. You are beholden.