"The treacherous are ever distrustful."

Certainly mud-slinging and dirty tricks are nothing new to American political campaigns--there is the famous case of Buchanan being accused of having fathered an illegitimate child, for example. But most folks would agree that Republicans in recent years have taken this tactic to new highs--or perhaps lows. Willie Horton, the push-poll against Sen. McCain in South Carolina, the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," the comparison of decorated legless Vietnam veteran Max Cleland to Osama bin Laden, the expansion and brutal use of the right-wing "echo chamber"--the tactics which the Republicans have used in recent years have been vicious and consistent. And now they are being forced to lay down in this procrustean bed they have made for themselves, and are finding it eminently uncomfortable.

Forgive me for my lack of sympathy.

It is perhaps unsurprising that those Republicans caught in the crossfire of "Foleygate" (what a horrific neologism!) are quick to point to conspiracies by the other side. After all, they have been engaging in such contemptible tactics for years; why shouldn't they expect to find their own guns trained on themselves? (They expect too much, of course. As Will Rogers said, "I'm not a member of an organized political party; I'm a Democrat.")

It is also unsurprising that the Republicans, who have been using such bullying tactics for years, holler "foul!" the moment they are in trouble themselves. This is the party, after all, that decries "frivolous lawsuits," but quickly calls their own lawyers the moment their narrow self-interest or hold on power is threatened.

While it is not something I generally encourage or revel in, I don't think it's unreasonable for folks of all political stripes who hate what has been--and is being--done to revel in a period of schadenfreude. After such a lengthy period of incompetent, arrogant, bullying one-party rule, I think we're all a bit overdue.

I was extremely disappointed with Juan Williams' interview of Vice-President Cheney on NPR this morning. As we all know, Cheney rarely grants interviews to anyone outside the friendly confines of Fox News and its ilk, and hardly ever appears in front of audiences other than those predisposed to his positions. As probably the most powerful Vice-President in history (and some would argue the power behind the throne), Williams had a rare chance to hold Cheney's feet to the fire and ask some hard-hitting questions about the Administration's policies.

He muffed it.

Once again, Cheney was allowed to conflate al Qaida with Iraq. Once again, Cheney was allowed to dodge the reasons for the war in Iraq. Once again, Cheney was not pressed on his comparison of the Democrats to Osama bin Laden. In short, Cheney kept to his usual schtick, and Williams allowed him to do so.

It causes me to wonder: is the reason the "liberal mainstream media" so awful about pressing this Administration because they simply don't get enough chances, and so are a bit over-awed when they are finally granted an interview with the President or Vice-President? Or is it that they are so nervous about being accused of "liberal bias" that they don't feel that they can ask a follow-up question of the form, "Excuse me, Mr. Vice-President, but since it has been shown by numerous reports and studies that there was no prewar collaboration between al Qaida and the Hussein regime, I don't think you should make that connection in this context"?

Even so, it's a sad state of affairs when the only time Bush or Cheney is actually pressed about substantive issues it is Bill O'Reilly who does it. And lucky for them, ol' Bill would never embarass them unduly by pressing a follow-up question.

As much as it pains me to admit it, the only way to win against known scoundrels--which in this case means the Republicans and their fellow travellers--is to use their own tactics against them. And if that means using the issue of stem cell research, then so be it. But they need to go further, and Ramesh Ponnuru, Mr. "Party of Death" himself, pointed the way, ironically enough.

For a long time now, the Republicans have framed many of the debates against the Democrats in classic "Have you stopped beating your wife?" ways that cannot possibly be answered. And the Democrats, as Will Rogers once famously observed, have not been organized enough to respond in kind. But now, rather than blat on about how improving wage equity and a clean environment are "values," it's clear what the Democrats have to do. Don't rail about "global warming" and "a woman's right to choose." No. Instead, call the Republicans "The Party of Planetary Death." Accuse them of worrying more about corporate profits than the arsenic in your Mom's drinking water. Point out that the fate of a multi-celled critter is more important than the fact that your Granny no longer recognizes her own children. Accuse them of wanted women to die from back-alley abortions. Talk about the incompetents they want to run FEMA. Equate them to Big Brother, listening in on your phone calls. Run commercials showing people being pulled from their cars, labeled "enemy combatants," and locked up without trial. Remind America, over and over, that this is the party that approves water-boarding and Guantanamo, and call them "The Party of Torture."

Yes, it's foul and awful. No, I don't like it. Yup, they'll be accused of "class warfare." And it is. But it wasn't the Democrats who declared the war; it was the Republicans. And for the past 6 years, they have been winning battle after battle. It's time to stop pretending and engage for real. We have seen what full, unchecked Republican rule means to this country, and it is a disaster. We cannot afford it any longer. Take off the gloves, Democrats; the Republicans did a long time ago.