Is the Republican well of contempt for the American voter bottomless? I'm not asking about mere tactical cynicism. In politics, that's a given, it seems to me. No, I mean contempt -- a profound, institutional contempt that knows no final depth.

This is no idle speculation or query. With every passing day of this presidential campaign the GOP pushes one more Democrat, one more independent, one more thoughtful conservative to ask the very same question and for damn good reason. The GOP is daring us in so many ways and on so many fronts.

I almost didn't even ask, principally for the simple reason that the affirmative seems so bloody obvious. I mean, who isn't asking the question and drawing the same conclusive answer?

It's hardly unique or insightful for any commentator to note in any column on any given day anymore that McCain-Palin 2008 is beginning to make George W. Bush look honorable. It's that bad. Whereas Bush & Co. in 2000 and 2004 scraped the bottom of the contemptuous well, McCain & Co. is backhoeing it.

It's got so bad, even the mainstream media are beginning to take note. For instance this morning the New York Times on the front page -- the front page, mind you, the one that some voters actually see and on a slow day perhaps even read -- writes of the avalanche of criticism being dumped on McCain "from Democrats, independent groups and even some Republicans for regularly stretching the truth in attacking Senator Barack Obama’s record and positions."
True, the euphemistic "stretching the truth" terminology is less than ideal or semantically accurate, but this is progress, I'd say. The front page. I'm impressed.

What was exceptionally impressive was that the degenerating content of McCain's character is now being put on the record from Republican sources. Naturally one can always lift a quotable quote about GOP scurrility from a Democrat or neutral observer, but when the conservative homefolks start publicly complaining, you know things are brushing the apocalyptic.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, for example -- and remember, this is one of the original New Righters who once believed in the supremacy of the lowest tactics -- said in a Friday interview on a New York news channel (and quoted by the NYT) that the McCain camp's interpretation of Obama’s "lipstick on a pig" comment was "ridiculous." As in, subject to ridicule -- this, from a McCain surrogate no less.

And said one "Republican advertising strategist," by name (Don Sipple): "The last month, for sure, I think the predominance of liberty taken with truth and the facts has been more McCain than Obama." And Mr. Sipple is on McCain's side -- he makes his living from McCain's side. For now.

Yet what has been, is, and forever shall remain the absolute Platonic Ideal of GOP contempt for the American electorate is the Mortimer Snerd candidacy of blank-slate Sarah Palin.

Being, as noted, ethereally contemptuous, this one is beyond description in down-to-earth English. There are simply no words that can fully capture the essence of McCain's insult to voters in choosing Ms. Palin, and the dropped-jaw validation of this proposition came, of course, in her Charlie Gibson "interview."

Truly, what can one say? How can one survey that on-air display of utter ignorance and casual bellicosity in mere words?

Here was an individual, submitted to voters as the potential caretaker of thousands of megatons of world-ending power, who didn't recognize the two-word description of U.S. foreign policy for the last seven years.

Here was an individual who, when asked if war with Russia over a U.S.-strategically insignificant piece of land might be necessary, could calmly, off-handedly respond, "Perhaps so."

Here was an individual who told Mr. Gibson she "would never presume to know God's will," yet assures her fellow churchgoers that U.S. troops in Iraq are "on a task that is from God."

Unstinting ignorance, unbridled jingoism and delusional thinking. Sound familiar? And after eight years of it, sound even worse than familiar? Sound like "Change is coming"?

Oh, it's coming, all right. As the national conversation increasingly shifts from GOP charges to an examination of GOP charges and their contemptuous deployment, independent voters should start abandoning McCain-friendly territory en masse.

Because there's just no way to put, and keep without smearing, lipstick on McCain-Palin's virtual promise of World War III and the Great Depression II.

I have to believe that, at least for another 50-odd days, even while retaining my unshakable belief in democratic ineptitude. The alternative is just too depressing.

You have it backwards Lefty so you just keep doing things like this and all your friends in the media. Hell even on here you lefty jigs just keep slamming Palin like she was going to be the president. Ya'll are running scared and running your mouth off. Letting down your veil disguise and showing your true colors. Keep up the good work Mccain and Palin love it.

__________________
When you came into this world you cried.
Live your life so that when you die.
The world cries. the shadow

Mr. RePpeller alway's did love Karl Rove.....

The NYT...uh huh.

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There are those, I know, who will say that the liberation of humanity, the freedom of man and mind, is nothing but a dream. They are right. It is the American dream.
~Archibald MacLeish

What is it like to wake up everyday, live every moment of your life with so much hate? Sounds like you have already rationalized reasons to hate the next four years. It was stolen or McCain lied and people are too stupid. Eitherway you win. Don't for one minute examine from within where this would slip from the Dems, instead blame outside forces, so evil, beyond you.

And should McCain win keep up the hatred, transfer the Bush hate to him, and never examine what you believe may not be accurate, but the real reason Obama would have lost.

This will not work in the future, and it will be seen in time. Your world view is built on hate and despair. The message of the left is always doom and gloom, pointing blame at others for their failures. It's getting old, and played way too much.

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"YOU CAN'T BE FOR BIG GOVERNMENT, BIG TAXES, AND BIG BUREAUCRACY AND STILL BE FOR THE LITTLE GUY." Ronald Reagan

KKKroakley the AWE internet liberal SLUT shows her idiocy again.

Rove is a dumb ass but if you had a damn brain crowley you would know I can't stand Rove.

__________________
When you came into this world you cried.
Live your life so that when you die.
The world cries. the shadow

Hey! Lay off of my boss!

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Liberal-a person who has his cake, eats his cake, and complains that other people don't have cake, and believes that you should donate your cake to them

Got one of those for David Axelrod?

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Has there ever been a presidential nominee with a wider gap between his estimation of himself and the sum total of his lifetime achievements?
Charles Krauthammer

You've Been Bamboozled

I will pray for you, cause if you look hard in the mirror you will will see it is only you and other republicans like you that are doing all the hating. Look at your responses! My was not hate but sadness, and maybe a bit of fear based on reality not what someone like rush has told me to think.
Yes I am free thinking and I never speak with hate like you did. I am certain you or someone like you will respond to this with hate, but you have to live with who you are, I do not!