The Reaganite Love Feast

Last night’s Republican “debate” underscores the importance of the Democratic primaries. It is unthinkable that even an electorate that could give George W. Bush a popular majority the second time around could find straws to grasp in that sorry lot. If I’m wrong about that, then there’s only one possible explanation: that in founding the Home of the Brave and bringing the world’s teeming masses to its shore, the Intelligent Designer who oversees all that was, is and will be made another one of His very big mistakes.

Could anybody actually watch? I tried, but whenever it got to be Tommy Thompson’s turn, I’d lose it. He was my guv for too many years. He may not have been the worst governor or even the worst Secretary of Health and Human Services in America (or the world), but he is surely the most repellent. How could anyone look at him and not switch immediately to almost any other channel to watch his namesake? I have no idea how bad Fred Thompson’s politics are, but at least he’s a better actor than any of the declared contenders or, for that matter, the Gipper himself.

According to the pundits – who, after all, know best – the three main contenders before are still the three main contenders after. Thus the Democratic candidate will likely run against either a piss poor mayor who had some good days when the Bush boy was still cowering in a bunker in Nebraska and for a few weeks thereafter; a war-monger and unrepentant war criminal of unstable disposition and with an almost Clintonite knack for pandering; or a family, family, family guy who raises only one serious question – what were the good people of Massachusetts thinking?

An even bigger question is how they could find ten contenders who make George W. Bush look good by comparison? If the Democrats, any Democrat, can’t win against any one of them, then -- well, words fail. This is why, barring unforeseeable changes of circumstance or a total eclipse of the light of reason, the Democrats will win in 2008. This is why it is urgent that Clintonism be defeated. With each passing day, Edwards seems more and more like the best (least bad) way. Obama – we’re waiting.