When Republicans win a Presidential election by a razor-thin margin, and only win 55 seats in the Senate, that's a "mandate," and nobody talks about the failure of the Republicans to win a "filibuster-proof majority."
When Democrats win a decisive Presidential landslide, and win 58 seats in the Senate, and a huge margin in the House, that's not a mandate, and the Republicans "win" if they deny Democrats that magic 60 seat "filibuster-proof majority."
Apparently, 2+2 = swordfish.
