Gravitas

YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG!

Don't get me wrong, I'm a liberal and a part of me is cackling over the Republican field of candidates. I mean, literally cackling out loud. I can't help it, a lot of what they are doing is just funny. Funny in the way that the very worst of the Three Stooges is funny. It's slapstick up there which is great for me and other Democrats but not so good for the nation.

The Republicans had an opportunity. After President Obama spanked John McCain in the general election they had a chance to examine their own party. They could have taken stock of the direction in which they were traveling, They could have recognized their problems; the way they are seen by the people.

Everyone knows about the Southern Strategy. Everyone can see it at work and the Republicans have never truly repudiated it. I mean, they say that they don't use it anymore but no one believes them because people have, you know, eyes and ears and things.

They could have examined the transition of McCain's image from maverick to curmudgeon. They could have looked at the way that their numbers plummeted after the started letting Palin talk to humans. They could have done so much to repair their issues and really come out of the gate this election cycle with integrity.

What was I thinking? Republicans with integrity. That is a pipe dream. I wish it weren't. I would love it if the Right would suit up and do a damned job. It's not about winning. It's about governing. They are failing to do that.