AP: Even If Republicans Win Tomorrow, They Still Suck

We didn't want to win these races anyway.

We could have. If we tried. But we didn't feel like it.

So, screw you. We're still winning.

It's hard to read the AP as anything other than a DNC spokesman.

For Republicans, an election win of any size Tuesday would be a blessing. But victories in Virginia, New Jersey or elsewhere won't erase enormous obstacles the party faces heading into a 2010 midterm election year when control of Congress and statehouses from coast to coast will be up for grabs.

So... it's no different if we win or lose?

Imagine if the Democrats were clearly ahead in these races. Try to imagine the AP's "analysis" reading: Victories in these races do not prove Obama's popularity or ability to swing races, and do nothing to erase the enormous obstacles he faces in passing health care reform or cap and trade legislation.

You would never see that. If that were the case, it would, in fact, be a referendum on Obama, about how wicked-awesome he is.

In fact, should the Democrats win, that is precisely what AP will say tomorrow.

It's been a tough few years for the GOP. The party lost control of Congress in 2006 and then lost the White House in 2008 with three traditional Republican states — Indiana, North Carolina and Virginia — abandoning the party.

So even if political winds start blowing harder behind them and even if they can capitalize on Democratic missteps, Republicans still will have a long way to go over the next year because of their party's own fundamental problems — divisions over the path forward, the lack of a national leader and a shrinking base in a changing nation.

The Democrats, which control both Houses of Congress by large, unbreakable majorities, are unable to agree among themselves on cap and trade, card check, and Pelsoi care.

And they have a national leader. Or Presenter, maybe.

Do they have no divisions over the path forward?

It is odd to me that whether we are discussing divisions or unity, we always speak of them negatively with regard to Republicans, and positively with regard to Democrats.

Democrats united? The party is the most unified it's been in recent history.

Republicans united? The party is becoming increasingly homogeneous and few contrary opinions are expressed.

Democrats divided? The party is a rich tapestry of diverse threads.

Republicans divided? The party is in a state of civil war and cannot even manage to agree with themselves, let alone put forward any consensus plans that make sense to the majority of Americans.

Funny, that, isn't it?

As a matter of fact, the Republicans are pretty well-united, as out-parties tend to be. We fight like wolverines on smaller matters, but we're pretty united on the big issue: Barack Obama must be stopped.

But if the AP were to notice that, they would put it in terms of groupthink and so on.

The GOP would overcome none of those hurdles should Republican Bob McDonnell win the Virginia governor's race, Chris Christie emerge victorious in the New Jersey governor's contest, or conservative Doug Hoffman triumph in a hotly contested special congressional election in upstate New York. In fact, 2009 seems to have underscored what may be the biggest impediment for Republicans — the war within their base.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid might get kicked to the curb due the war within his base -- the same war, really, between idealists/revolutionaries and realists/incrementalists -- but again, it's only the GOP's problem. Because we just fundamentally suck pipe.

...

Still, with Democrats in control, the onus is on the GOP to get its act together.

Again, it's the out-party that needs to get its act together, not the party in complete control of government, which is unable to pass the legislation the president claims will admit of no delay.

See, we need to "get our act together" to get a unified political message.

But they do not need to "get their act together" to unify behind actual legislation Lord God King Obama keeps telling me needs to be passed three months ago.

They can take all the time in the world for that. For us, we need to act mucho pronto por favore.

posted by Ace at 03:56 PM

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