Did the election change anything?

Well, re-election certainly made the president more confident — he definitely likes his chances against the two senators who tried to beat up on his UN Ambassador, Susan Rice.

“Senator McCain and Senator Graham and others want to go after somebody they should go after me,” said President Barack Obama.

It also gave him the confidence to insist on better manners during news conferences.

“That was a great question, but it would be a horrible precedent for me to answer your question just because you yelled it out,” he said.

And it also made him willing to reach out and hold hands across the aisle.

“This is just a matter of whether or not we come together and go ahead and say Democrats and Republicans we’re both going to hold hands and do what is right for the American people,” Obama said.

So elections have consequences, it’s just that those consequences don’t appear to include a quick solution to the stuff that actually affects our lives.

Because not only was he reelected, but so was the Republican congress and so we have two colliding mandates. He’s not going to extend tax cuts on the wealthy, and Republicans are going to insist that he does.

The debates, the billions of dollars in ads, the speeches, the polls, the swing states, the interactive maps, the great majesty of a democratic process that is the envy of the world — that news conference Wednesday made it clear we are exactly where we were in 2011.

“I didn’t get reelected just to bask in reelection,” said Obama.

Are you sure about that? Are you sure?

“That was a great question, but it would be a horrible precedent for me to answer your question just because you yelled it out.”

Sorry.