What in the Sam Hill does this even mean?

Senator Lamar Alexander sounds a lot like he is minimizing the stature of Barack Obama's mandate in the November elections, his party's dramatic losses nationally, and the sincerity of voter expectations for clear change in Washington:

“The change that people voted for was a change in management,” he said in an interview. “If they think the change the country elected them to provide was a lurch to the left, they’re in for a big surprise.”

On the one hand, Senator A. does not seem to grasp the concept that expecting government to be run like a business with an office manager-president is exactly what has entrenched our nation in the current economic quagmire. On the other hand, Lamar! is not being entirely honest. Cue the Monkey Cage:

The evidence is pretty strong that the [Obama] administration lies considerably to the right of the Democrats in the House, but is reasonably representative of Senate Democrats. But only Solis comes from the most liberal wing of the party. The center of the party is well represented in powerful positions by the president, vice-president, secretary of state, and WH chief of staff while the lower cabinet is filled with more moderate Democrats and a Republican. No wonder Nancy Pelosi is worried about being triangulated.

Sounds to me like Mr. Alexander is saying that voters simply want a different guy implementing more of the same policies of the last 8 years. If that's what he is jockeying for, the GOP going to be a weak opposition party. If this is what the leadership believes, it needs a tighter grip on reality.