Obviously I haven't seen the documentary yet, since it's being broadcast tonight. But if I'm reading this interview right and the film does NOT cover the frenzied, hate-spewing McCain-Palin rallies of the fall, I think it may tell only half the story.

Since the election, I've been regularly visiting right-wing sites and message boards like Free Republic, just to see what "the base" is saying. It's very similar to what this article describes. Yes, they believe Obama is a Muslim and a non-citizen and a socialist. No, I'm not sure they understand what socialism is. They believe the media are totally, completely left-wing and they desperately fear the return of the Fairness Doctrine. With Obama's win and, now, the passage of the economic stimulus package, they believe that the America they knew is gone. They're buying lots of guns and ammunition because they're certain Obama will try to take them away. And interestingly, they despise John McCain, and Mitt Romney, and Mike Huckabee (Mike Huckabee!), and Ron Paul, and the three Republican Senators who helped the stimulus pass, and (especially) Lindsey Graham, whom they believe to be gay. The only politician who walks on water for them is Sarah Palin, with the possible exception of Bobby Jindal — an empty slate upon whom, I believe, they are projecting their hopes.

I'm sorry that Alexandra Pelosi appears to be giving credence to their argument that the media ignored them (see my reference to "frenzied, hate-spewing rallies," above). But two thoughts occurred to me when I read this interview — as they occur to me while I'm surfing Free Republic.

1. Under whose watch do these folks think "socialism" came to America? Obama didn't just come in on January 20 and impose it, you know. What in the world do these people think happened in this country in September 2008, and who, by the way, was President then?

2. Although they obviously don't want to listen, Obama spoke to them personally on the night of November 4. "I know I have yet to earn your vote. But I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your President, too."

Thank you for this item, and thank you, heyjude, for a great letter. After seeing "Frontline's" show explaining the financial meltdown of 2008, and having read thousands of posts over at Free Republic since the election, I've been completely stumped at the Freepers' obsession with calling Obama a socialist and claiming he has destroyed America. Lately they've cited the Newsweek article ("We Are All Socialists Now"), which I kept thinking I needed to read (we canceled our subscription when the magazine hired Karl Rove). Now, I will, thanks to the link you provided. But I suspect the Freeps haven't read it, either — or they would have seen the facts you cite. They've only focused on the cover, to their great alarm.

That the Palin base of the Republican party can't recognize that "socialism" came to America under their boy George's watch is astounding, but also profoundly disturbing. These are the folks represented by the ideological Republican purists in Congress, and they're not budging an inch. How can we fix things and move forward as a country if we can't recognize realities together and come to agreement on how to rectify them?

I had to laugh yesterday when I saw clips of the economic summit on the news. There was Obama, hosting — and calling on — John McCain, Eric Cantor and all the other Congressional Republicans who have opposed him in such a knee-jerk fashion. Somehow I couldn't picture George W. Bush or any Republican President having the same confidence, grace and control.

Obama reminded me that what our mothers taught us was right: You catch more flies with honey than vinegar. And often, it throws the opposition into utter confusion. I recently had a boss who was a bully, a woman whose reputation outside the company was good but who, internally, was infamous for verbally abusing her employees. I decided that the best way to deal with her was not only to never respond to the abuse, but to be cheery and pleasant at all times. It really threw her for a loop.

I've left that job and therefore no longer have to deal with that horrible woman — unlike Obama, who has at least four years of petulant Republican antics ahead of him. But he's doing the right thing, and the American people know it.

Well, it looks like the Republican National Committee has had a real success (NOT!) with its first African-American chairman. So..... how quickly can they get rid of this guy, since he's obviously committed the unpardonable sin of offending Rush "The Republican Messiah" Limbaugh? Goodness, gracious. We are so glad this is not OUR problem.

Meanwhile, someone better ask Jim Bunning how long Limbaugh has to live. Because if you watch Limbaugh at the lectern during his CPAC address, you can see how much trouble he's having breathing. He's gained back all the weight and then some, and something very, very unhealthy is happening.

Not that I care, mind you.

I frequently visit nutty right-wing sites to make sure they're still fixated on this ridiculous non-issue. I'm always reassured when I see that they are. It keeps them occupied while the rest of us try to fix the country that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney broke.