Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/analysts-discuss-elections-rumsfeld-and-changes-ahead Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Transcript The NewsHour's regular political analysts Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the Democrats' takeover of Congress, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's resignation and other changes afoot in the government. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. RAY SUAREZ: Next, to the analysis of Shields and Brooks, syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks.Mark, we talked a lot about results, and numbers, and margins. Who are your winners for the week? And some of them may not have even been on balance any more. MARK SHIELDS, Syndicated Columnist: Well, no, I think that Senator Barack Obama, no question merged as a full-blown political superstar, I mean, transcending ethnic, racial divisions. I mean, he was much in demand, much cherished as a Democratic surrogate and advocate across the country.I'd have to say women in general — I mean, the Democrats elected Amy Klobuchar to the Senate from Minnesota, or she elected herself, and Claire McCaskill in Missouri.But then I'd add to that, certainly, Nancy Pelosi, an historic first speaker.I guess, beyond that, I'd have to say that the unsung story of this campaign, Rahm Emanuel did a good, terrific job in the House for the Democrats in the campaign committee, but it was really Chuck Schumer, chairman of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, and Harry Reid, the Democratic Senate leader, who backed him up every step of the way.They intruded in primaries, which has never been done before. That's considered bad form, but think about it. RAY SUAREZ: Anointing preferred winners? MARK SHIELDS: And backing people, and risking anger. RAY SUAREZ: "This is the guy we'd rather see as our party's nominee"? MARK SHIELDS: Best example, Ray, was Bob Casey in Pennsylvania, a pro-life Democrat. Chuck Schumer got 10,000 e-mails, messages and calls from the National Organization of Women and other abortion rights groups, who are just livid that he had anointed and backed Bob Casey. You got Ed Rendell, the Democratic governor, to do the same thing.They did in Rhode Island with Sheldon Whitehouse. They did it in Ohio, with Sherrod Brown, same thing. Jim Webb in Virginia, they intervened before the primary, who ended up beating George Allen. Harold Ford in Tennessee, and Amy Klobuchar, we mentioned, in Minnesota, and went and chased Claire McCaskill down in London to persuade her. And Harry Reid talked to her husband to tell her that it would be OK.So, I mean, that was really a first, and they did a terrific job. And they risked making lifetime enemies, and they made some, in the process.