Republicans went on to hold the House after their disastrous shutdown of 1995-96 , and Obama rebounded from what he called `` a shellacking '' in the midterm elections of 2010 to win re-election comfortably in 2012 . Paul Begala : The Republican # ##s of 2013 will go down in history . Begala : Republicans were seeking an unattainable goal ; they were sure to win . He says Sen. Harry Reid is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the shutdown . Begala : A former boxer , Reid says Democrats united and will deal with GOP .
Paul Begala : The Republican # ##s of 2013 will go down in history . Begala : Republicans were seeking an unattainable goal ; they were sure to win . He says Sen. Harry Reid is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the shutdown . Begala : A former boxer , Reid says Democrats united and will deal with GOP .