Check out a few paragraphs from the London Times (emphasis mine):

PRESIDENT BUSH defied history to seize outright control of Congress yesterday, winning a personal mandate for domestic change and strengthening his hopes of re-election in 2004.
Republicans recaptured a majority in the Senate and tightened their grip on the House of Representatives, giving the President's party all the levers of power in Washington. Republican leaders will begin the push for deeper, permanent tax cuts, social security reforms and oil drilling rights in an Alaskan wildlife refuge in the new year.

Mr Bush's campaigning blitz in the final days paid dividends once the polls opened. A clutch of Republicans visited by Mr Bush won tight races that were must-win seats for Democrats.

Why do they portray our electoral process as though it were a military coup? Perhaps I'm just being nit-picky again, or perhaps they just like metaphors.