THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

Apparently, one year is enough

I have spent the last year convincing myself that Glenn Beck, teabaggers, Sarah Palin, birthers, people who think President Obama is a Muslim socialist who wants to kill your grandmother, Rep. Joe Wilson, Rush Limbaugh, and William Kostric represent only the extremist fringe right and speak for a very small percentage of Americans.

In essence, I chose to believe that their popularity was due to the fact that a lunatic minority of Fox News worshippers were outraged, among other things, that the president is a black man from Chicago who appointed a Puerto Rican from New York to the Supreme Court and, also, that the South lost the Civil War.

They needed an outlet for their frustrations and Glenn Beck et al. were more than happy to capitalize on their frothing animus.

As such, I've tried to ignore these voices in an effort to marginalize their lunacy and minimize the possibility that my head will blow up.

My instinct was largely fueled by polls showing that the Republican party hasn't been this unpopular since the Clinton impeachment.

I suppose last week's election might have served as a wake-up call, but the few races didn't really suggest any alarming nationwide trend. (Even in places where Republicans made gains, many exit polls indicated significant support for President Obama.)

However, today's Gallup survey makes me realize that the loudest voices on the right are making headway -- both in terms of control of the Republican party, as well as the national dialogue.

In some ways, this is good. I'd rather have Sarah Palin be the GOP nominee than, say, an intelligent thoughtful conservative like Senator Susan Collins.

But this is bad news when it comes to trying to pass any progressive legislation after 2010.

Alas, many independents (who initiate most of the swings in these polls) have either forgotten the lessons of Bush/Cheney or they've concluded that one year of Democratic control over the White House and Congress is so bad that they're ready to turn the tide back again.

--Junichi

CHOICE FOR A NEW GENERATION

--O.W.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK #127

Who supports this sign more: Republicans or other Democrats?

This Week's Question:

You are a Democrat in Iowa. Your #1 goal is to get a Democrat elected to the White House.

Your favorite candidate is Hillary Clinton, who maintains the lead for the Democratic nomination in Iowa and nationwide.

However, current polls suggest that Clinton would lose in the general election against at least five GOP candidates -- Giuliani, Romney, McCain, Huckabee, and Fred Thompson. The same poll indicates that Obama and Edwards would do better than Clinton among independent and young voters.

For the upcoming primary election, do you vote for Hillary Clinton?

--Junichi

THE GREATEST DAY IN THIS COUNTRY'S HISTORY

Last night, I was watching this movie on cable about a presidential race that is either a dystopian thriller or an absurdist comedy. (See clips above and below.)

I got hooked when one candidate said that if Roe v. Wade is repealed, that would be "the greatest day in this country’s history." Sandman and Venom ain't got nothing on Tancredo!

Unfortunately, I fell asleep before I got to the end and didn't find out which character emerged as the colostomy bag that received his party's nomination.

But I'm assuming it was one of the three characters who raised his hands when the moderator asked, "Is there anybody that doesn't believe in evolution?"

--Junichi

RUNNING WHILE BROWN

Richardson is Running ... for the Border

Yup, that's an actual screen capture above.

When Oliver decides to run for office, I can't wait until the New York Post prints the headline:

WANG THROWS CHINAMAN'S HAT INTO THE RING

*

Just as Obama and Clinton are forced to field idiotic questions and analysis of their race and gender, respectively, Governor Richardson will inevitably weather acerebral comments about his Mexican heritage and the fact that he grew up in Mexico City.

I feel bad for Richardson ... until I remind myself that he is the one directly responsible for the racial profiling and incarceration of Los Alamos scientist Wen Ho Lee.


Source: Wonkette

--Junichi