A party of 'cranks'? (Politico...not so toolish and telling it like it is for once)

[jefferson_dem]

A party of 'cranks'?

Joe Wilson’s outburst Wednesday night earned more than a personal rebuke from the president and a dagger-eyed gasp from the speaker of the House; it drew winces from Republicans worried that their party is becoming known less for the power of its ideals and more for the pettiness of its vitriol.

"Neither party has an exclusive on whack jobs,” says Republican media consultant Mark McKinnon. “Unfortunately, right now the Democrats generally get defined by President Obama, and Republicans, who have no clear leadership, get defined by crackpots — and then they begin to define the Republican Party in the mind of the general public.”

Turn on the TV, and you see what he means.

Here’s Orly Taitz, insisting that the commander in chief was born in Kenya. There’s a flock of town hall protesters, waving photos of the president in a Hitler moustache. Former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin warns darkly that Obama is planning “death panels” for senior citizens. Georgia Rep. Paul Broun equates the president’s plans with “Nazi” policies. Ohio Rep. Jean Schmidt — last heard calling John Murtha a “coward” — tells a birther: “I agree with you, but the courts don’t.”

And then, in the midst of all the catcalls, hand-held signs and “I’m not listening” BlackBerrying, Wilson interrupts Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress by shouting, “You lie!”

“The president was helped more by the optics of House Republicans than by his own speech,” says former Rep. Vin Weber (R-Minn.). “It’s not likely to do any long-term damage, but they need to be very careful how they oppose this president.”

One veteran GOP official puts it bluntly: “The image of a bunch of white guys booing an African-American president is about as bad as it gets.”

<SNIP>

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27015.html#ixzz0Ql1k75dE

[grantcart]

1. a rare find on politico

[Faygo Kid]

2. Agreed. They are normally a Faux News wannabe, but can't get away with it in DC.

DC has too many Faux News imitators - Washington Times, Washington Examiner, AM 630, AM 570, many more. Politico has real competition, if weak-kneed (The Hill). They simply can't go where they want to go and survive. They have to make at least an effort at criticism of the Rethuglicans. Roger Simon is the only decent thing over there, but my prediction is that they will go over to the complete Dark Side by the time of the 2010 elections.

[Cha]

5. Oh yeah, ..given politico's history

that seems like a safe bet.

[Cha]

3. Thanks, Jefferson...yeah, this is bullshit but it's from a republican..

:wow:

“The president was helped more by the optics of House Republicans than by his own speech,” says former Rep. Vin Weber (R-Minn.). “It’s not likely to do any long-term damage, but they need to be very careful how they oppose this president.”

We have Pres Obama and they have I love my drugs limpbaugh.

You're so freakin' wrong mark mckinnon..the repubs have exclusive rights on Whacked OUT JOBS.

"Neither party has an exclusive on whack jobs,” says Republican media consultant Mark McKinnon. “Unfortunately, right now the Democrats generally get defined by President Obama, and Republicans, who have no clear leadership, get defined by crackpots — and then they begin to define the Republican Party in the mind of the general public.”

"The question for the GOP: What will fill that void in the meantime, and will it leave an indelible stain on the party even after its election-year A-team emerges? Will the party be known for its members of the Gang of Six — the senators working, with varying degrees of success, on a bipartisan health care plan — or for those who question everything from the president’s place of birth to his right to talk to the nation’s schoolchildren?"

Oh yeah, the Big Bad Dems..

"Nor are Democrats strangers to having their crazy uncles take center stage. During the run-up to the Iraq war, for example, Reps. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and David Bonior (D-Mich.) famously flew to Baghdad, where McDermott asserted that he believed the president would “mislead the American public” to justify the war. The trip made it a cakewalk for critics to describe the Democratic Party as chock-a-block with traitorous radicals."

They won't stop lying.

[d_b]

6. right

im sick of them bringing liberals into their bullshit. sure, we have crazies, but it's nowhere near their millions of cranks.

McDermott telling the truth does not = Wilson full of shit.

[Cha]

7. And, he gives those examples

with a fucking straight face. Lying is too easy for them.

[FatDave]

8. "...he believed the president would 'mislead the American public' to justify the war."

"Nor are Democrats strangers to having their crazy uncles take center stage. During the run-up to the Iraq war, for example, Reps. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and David Bonior (D-Mich.) famously flew to Baghdad, where McDermott asserted that he believed the president would “mislead the American public” to justify the war. The trip made it a cakewalk for critics to describe the Democratic Party as chock-a-block with traitorous radicals."

What. The. Fuck? They're the crazy uncles because they were right? Because they spoke up when no one else had the guts? And, um...they were right? Jesus Fucking Christ, is this shit for real?

[Cha]

9. As you and we all know..this is the

shit we're dealing with in this country.

[FatDave]

11. Oh, I know.

But it still amazes me to see such a blatant example.

[Parker CA]

4. Color me astonished that Politico printed this. Credit where credit is due though. Good for them.

[d_b]

10. wrong thread

delete