Quote Of The Day: Party Cannibalism Cont'd.

Some excerpts from Frank Bruni's op-ed in this morning's New York Times regarding last night's circular firing squad in South Carolina:

"Nomination contests often get ugly, with candidates in the same party — candidates with some of the same core values — belittling one another. But this felt different. This felt worse. This felt like a genuine freakout. [snip]

Nobody really looked good, and that’s another big part of what spooked me. I was watching a political party devour itself. It was all so unpleasant — and so unflattering — that candidates took to commenting on how unpleasant and unflattering it was. [snip]

The debate wasn’t just scary but sad, because when the vitriol waned, there were glimpses of just how much more prudent and better prepared than Trump all of these candidates are. There were glimmers of just how much more serious than the Republican Party the Democratic Party is."

The debates were a long opposition research dump for the candidates. Polls consistently show that Dems' number one issue by far is beating malignant demagogue Donald "Dear Leader" Trump, and precious little time was spent on tearing him a new one. Even the coronavirus -- and Trump's mishandling of it -- only came up an hour or more in the "debate." As we and others have observed, acting like this primary season is like all others before is courting disaster in November.

QOTD -- Your Periodic Anti-Cannibalism Reminder, Post-Debate Edition

"Can these Democratic candidates start competing over who is best positioned to bring together the majority of Americans who disapprove of how Trump is running things? Can they try to prove it by reaching out now to constituencies not part of their own natural base — and by taming the furies within their own factions? Can they look at the smirk on Trump’s face and realize the damage they’ll do our nation if they just pretend that this primary is like every other?" -- E.J. Dionne, Jr., in "Will Trump Scare Some Sense Into The Democrats," in today's Washington Post.  This isn't like any other election year, and Democrats -- candidates and their supporters -- need to stop providing Trump's billion dollar campaign free ammunition to suppress Democratic voting.  FFS.

Circular Firing Squads

There will always be a certain amount of second-guessing after an election defeat, and we certainly aren't immune from that impulse. Kevin Drum vents his frustration at statements by Dems offering their take on the Dems' recent losses. One might also look at what's going on on the Rethug side, with newly-elected teahadists making noise about not playing with the Rethug establishment. Teahadist fave Rep. Michele "I See Commies" Bachmann (Loon-MN) has already been snubbed by the House Rethug leadership in favor of nearly-as-mad (but more presentable) Rep. Jeb "Snarlin'" Hensarling (Rethug-Texas Republic) to transition incoming freshmen. Other Rethugs are blaming Winky You Betcha for the Rethugs' missed opportunity to take the Senate. So, it seems circular firing squads come in all political shades, though you won't be hearing this in the "liberal" mainstream media.