Are the Republican smart enough to pick up the balls their opponents keep bobbling? We first have to find out:

* Whether Republicans really believe their own rhetoric about pork. Unless they try seriously to slice big hunks of the stuff from the "stimulus" bill, there's no reason to take them seriously as an opposition party.

* Whether Republicans are as resourceful in debate as are the Democrats. What? Can't show ordinary people how mega-deficits cramp the economy and undermine job creation? Go home. Find some other line of work.

* Whether the "economic" wing of the party understands the desirability of an alliance with "social" conservatives as well as the socials understand -- and practice -- it. I rarely hear the socials griping about the free market; I hear free enterprisers all the time blubbering over what they mischaracterize as foolish fixation on the pro-life and gay "marriage" issues.

* Whether Michael Blackwell, the new, black national chairman, can figure out how to show minorities the blessings of a life consecrated to freedom, not government servitude.

And that's for starters. It goes that way in politics; one day up, the next day down, then up again. Of course you have to know what you're doing. That's the trick on which today's Republicans didn't exactly write the textbook.