"My feet are tired, but my soul is inspired," a buoyant Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) proclaimed at her victory party last Saturday night, citing a variation of an old civil-rights saying.

It was a fitting tribute to the state's African-American community, whose members defied projections and turned out in droves last week, socking in the stomach a cocky GOP that had reportedly referred to Louisiana's Senate runoff as "Operation: Icing on the Cake."