First off, just a little note: very interesting how Fly-Man chose to use a quote from FDR about autocratic government. With all due respect for FDR, wasn't he the one who threw Japanese American citizens into concentration camps? Just a bit of irony for you.

On the main topic, I'm a little disturbed by the desire (even by staunchly liberal blogosphere figures, EVEN by Glenn Greenwald) to point out every case when a Republican breaks ranks with the President. I do realize that in this autocratic Administration opposition from your own party is a Big Deal (tm), but it's still funny how vociferous protests from virtually the entire Democratic half of Congress (about something, anything) get a whole lot less media coverage than a furrowed brow on one Republican Senator. As if the opposition party to the President is not the Democratic party but a few disenchanted former allies in his own Republican party.

I'm sure there's a good reason for all that excitement about the Republican defections. Most likely it may have something to do with the apparent flaccidity of the current Democratic Majority which, being a majority, still allows the "fringe radicals" of the conservative movement to walk all over them. Yet another symptom of the bigger and deadlier disease.

A malaise, if you will.

I come from California, a State that has two Senatorial Jewish grandmothers and a Catholic grandmother who runs the House of Representatives. I don't honestly suppose that may make me some kind of an authority on females in politics, but here's my take on it: it's not particularly a relevant subject. Interesting, in a way that the coloring of, say, police cruisers is interesting, but that's about it. It may be a fun topic of lazy banter over a latte.

There's another point, too. Readers of Salon.com seem (to me, at least) to be consistent in their condemnation of minor, piddly criticisms of the people in power, presidential contenders, etc. We appear to be the crowd that likes meaty subjects, e.g. Rudy Giuliani's mob connections, Mitt Romney's embarrassing pandering to the base, McCain's idiotic campaign choices. Maybe even Clinton's strategic changing of views and the real substance (is it there?) behind Obama's "star power". We are much less interested in Edwards' haircut or, in this case, who wears their balls on their sleeve more, or less. This is for Limbaugh and Coulter and Matthews (and yes, Dowd on the left) and their ilk to chew over.

Reasonably informed, thinking people are sick and tired of image politics. We have image fatigue. Incessant discussion of irrelevant minutia makes us feel disrespected, it insults our intelligence. We don't care whether our next President would exude testosterone or estrogen. We want them to be COMPETENT at policy, foreign and domestic. Write about that more, please. The pissing contests amongst the Republicans (and lack thereof amongst the Democrats) are of lesser interest. I think that's what the critics of the article are responding to, though of course I can't speak for any of them, only myself.

All this is said with great respect for Mr. Scherer, whose columns I regularly read and enjoy.

...and in a week they'll come up with a volume of Most Overused GOP Talking Points In History (tm), which is actually a slender volume because all the words therein have only one syllable. You know, chantable mantras. And this nation, I think, has mantra fatigue.

Or most likely the monkeys will start throwing feces at one another. Great fun!

It's a bit scary to see overdressed college pukes lined up to chuckle at this new round of recycled (hah!) GOP shit-flinging, but hey, having been a college student I can tell you: that's what college students like. A good insult. Doesn't even have to be Shakespearian... heeeey! I got an idea! Edwards should go on record about Mr. Duncan as a "whey-faced pumpion". That'd show 'em! (And I would seriously consider voting for any liberal candidate who would have the balls to fling a Shakespearian insult at the RNC. At the very least, I'll buy their bumper sticker. I hereby swear.)

Yes, Congress must know this: our patience is not endless. If they don't get something done and soonish, we will... we will... we will post nasty angry messages on Salon.com blogs! That's what we'll do! Be afraid, Congress. Be very afraid.

(C'mon people. It takes a long time to bring down a Presidency, no matter how fucked up. Give the Congress some time, they're at least doing something. What are you doing? Sitting at your computer and mouthing off? Go found an organization, get petitions out, march on Washington D.C. and demand change. Freaking out on the pages of Salon.com won't do shit and you know it. But it's the path of the least resistance and it makes you feel good about yourself, doesn't it? I mean. That's why I do it.)