WASHINGTON - President Obama is reconstituting the team that helped him win the White House to counter Republican challenges in the midterm elections and recalibrate after political setbacks that have narrowed his legislative ambitions.

Mr. Obama has asked his former campaign manager, David Plouffe, to oversee House, Senate and governor's races to stave off a hemorrhage of seats in the fall. The president ordered a review of the Democratic political operation -- from the White House to party committees -- after last week's Republican victory in the Massachusetts Senate race, aides said.

In addition to Mr. Plouffe, who will primarily work from the Democratic National Committee in consultation with the White House, several top operatives from the Obama campaign will be dispatched across the country to advise major races as part of the president's attempt to take greater control over the midterm elections, aides said.

The Tea Party seems to be successfully resisting approaches from a Republican party that generally has even less business governing than Dems.

Which means an energized right that might very well split come 2012. I don't frankly see any political future for the current occupant of the Oval office barring a miraculous drop in unemployment. Nor do I see the staged reunion of the two Davids doing much to change things.

Once Dems climb off their high horse and stop looking down their noses at those who disagree, they may begin to see that voters do not view Republicans with any particular affection.