Wile E. Coyote Politics
Happy Halloween. But the trick-or-treating is still a week away.
Just watching some snippets of the network morning shows this morning—yeah, shoot me—I can see the networks are doing their best for the Republicans with a week to go. Karl Rove, George W. Bush, and Dick Cheney are brimming with confidence, so things must be swinging their way. The tag line at the bottom of Good Morning America read, “Are Democrats Losing Ground?” and George Stephanapoulos says indeed, yes they are, in the races for Mark Foley’s and Tom DeLay’s seats! Wow, he found two examples—two extraordinary, unusual circumstances races in solid R districts to prove the point.
On the Today Show, they went to Tony Snow for some “analysis” on the elections (I couldn’t stomach to watch it—I wonder what he said?). Also, they brought up the 2004 election and how the last minute Bin Laden tape sealed the deal for Bush—will it happen again (a “November Surprise,” as they called it). Side note: of course, if you believe the Republican narrative that Bin Laden, in full Wile E. Coyote mode, was trying to influence the elections and have his stateside sympathizers and enablers, the Democratic Party, elected to power, but was thwarted by the God-fearing, bold and courageous citizens of the U.S. who voted for Bush and thusly against terrorism, then, with this result, and with Bin Laden being a despicable murderer but obviously not an idiot, why would he do it again if the result is a Republican victory?
Also, Rahm Emmanuel was on GMA and, as any good establishment Dem is, completely unable to articulate, in simple sound bite terms, a plan for Iraq (more on this later). He was able to articulate other goals, but of course, this was irrelevant to the talking head who kept saying, but is your plan for Iraq? Ah, if only the media would’ve bothered pressing Bush and the Republicans about a plan the last three years.
There’s still a week to go, and the election still has to be held, but here we are, the conservative media desperately looking for a rah-rah story for those beleaguered underdog Republicans and treating this whole thing like a damn football game now that we’re close. Look at the polls for the better part of the year—the Dems have held consistent significant leads over Republicans in general balloting and in specific races, they have been ahead, and in many races where they would not have been considered competitive six months ago, they are making gains. These aren’t last minute, one or two polls showing the Dems ahead. This is consistent polling, across many polls, for 6-8 months. A week to go, these numbers have relatively stayed the same.
Sure, the Republicans have many solid things, including GOTV, money, sleazy strategists like Karl Rove, and incumbency, and the Dems are still behind in these things though they’ve closed the gap a lot and of course, with their recent history, should not be complacent, but let’s get real here. Things aren’t looking so hot for the Republicans. Even if, “magically,” they will still be in a lot of trouble because they will see it as vindication of everything they do and a rejection of all Democrats, when it’ll be nothing of the sort. Nothing will change, because they are arrogant and can’t admit they’re wrong (unless their political lives are on the line, then they might) and will continue doing what they’re doing.
It’ll only be 2 years until 2008, though. Groan if you will, but the Presidential race will be starting soon. There will be no time to sit back and relax.
Just watching some snippets of the network morning shows this morning—yeah, shoot me—I can see the networks are doing their best for the Republicans with a week to go. Karl Rove, George W. Bush, and Dick Cheney are brimming with confidence, so things must be swinging their way. The tag line at the bottom of Good Morning America read, “Are Democrats Losing Ground?” and George Stephanapoulos says indeed, yes they are, in the races for Mark Foley’s and Tom DeLay’s seats! Wow, he found two examples—two extraordinary, unusual circumstances races in solid R districts to prove the point.
On the Today Show, they went to Tony Snow for some “analysis” on the elections (I couldn’t stomach to watch it—I wonder what he said?). Also, they brought up the 2004 election and how the last minute Bin Laden tape sealed the deal for Bush—will it happen again (a “November Surprise,” as they called it). Side note: of course, if you believe the Republican narrative that Bin Laden, in full Wile E. Coyote mode, was trying to influence the elections and have his stateside sympathizers and enablers, the Democratic Party, elected to power, but was thwarted by the God-fearing, bold and courageous citizens of the U.S. who voted for Bush and thusly against terrorism, then, with this result, and with Bin Laden being a despicable murderer but obviously not an idiot, why would he do it again if the result is a Republican victory?
Also, Rahm Emmanuel was on GMA and, as any good establishment Dem is, completely unable to articulate, in simple sound bite terms, a plan for Iraq (more on this later). He was able to articulate other goals, but of course, this was irrelevant to the talking head who kept saying, but is your plan for Iraq? Ah, if only the media would’ve bothered pressing Bush and the Republicans about a plan the last three years.
There’s still a week to go, and the election still has to be held, but here we are, the conservative media desperately looking for a rah-rah story for those beleaguered underdog Republicans and treating this whole thing like a damn football game now that we’re close. Look at the polls for the better part of the year—the Dems have held consistent significant leads over Republicans in general balloting and in specific races, they have been ahead, and in many races where they would not have been considered competitive six months ago, they are making gains. These aren’t last minute, one or two polls showing the Dems ahead. This is consistent polling, across many polls, for 6-8 months. A week to go, these numbers have relatively stayed the same.
Sure, the Republicans have many solid things, including GOTV, money, sleazy strategists like Karl Rove, and incumbency, and the Dems are still behind in these things though they’ve closed the gap a lot and of course, with their recent history, should not be complacent, but let’s get real here. Things aren’t looking so hot for the Republicans. Even if, “magically,” they will still be in a lot of trouble because they will see it as vindication of everything they do and a rejection of all Democrats, when it’ll be nothing of the sort. Nothing will change, because they are arrogant and can’t admit they’re wrong (unless their political lives are on the line, then they might) and will continue doing what they’re doing.
It’ll only be 2 years until 2008, though. Groan if you will, but the Presidential race will be starting soon. There will be no time to sit back and relax.
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