When you strip the Republican Party of its lead in the polls, of its electoral path to the trough, you leave it with one thing to sell - fear itself. Fear mixed with hate, broadcast with winks, and covered with a slim and slimy garnish of official disavowal. How pathetic. Two weeks to go and this is all they've got:
The disgraceful race-baiting ad in Massachusetts aimed at black Democratic nominee for governor, Deval Patrick.
The hideous Rush Limbaugh-led attack on the motives - and acting ability - of Michael J. Fox for his support of Missouri candidate Claire McCaskill.
The gross race-baiting of the RNC with its now-infamous miscegenation-mongering spot on behalf of Bob Corker against his black opponent Harold Ford in Tennessee.
The anti-homosexual campaign run by Ohio Republican Ken Blackwell, who accused his Democratic rival for governor, Rep. Ted Strickland of supporting the platform of NAMBLA, the North American Man/Boy Love Association.
There are more examples - many more. It's all about playing to people's fears, to the small minority that hates but it big enough to turn elections. It's about the remnants of the old hateful Southern Strategy that elected Ronald Reagan. The GOP runs on a fuel called "values," but it's a fuel that is distilled from a crude call hatred. And now they're desperate. Jason nails it:
Since the conservative wing took over the GOP the Party has pronounced it's moral superiority to all comers: Republicans are God-fearing folk who believe in the primacy of personal responsibility. Decisions about governing must be made with moral clarity, a lucidity of vision only true believers are said to possess. The veneer of moral superiority with which conservatives painted the Republican party has always been a thin one. Yet it has remained durable enough, withstanding lobbyist scandals going back to the Reagan years and the repeated public dissembling of its highest officers.
The veneer is rubbing away, though. The tactic is too obvious. Their product comes to market on November 7th. Want more - follow these links [via Lindsay]:
--AZ-Sen: Jon Kyl
--AZ-01: Rick Renzi
--AZ-05: J.D. Hayworth
--CA-04: John Doolittle
--CA-11: Richard Pombo
--CA-50: Brian Bilbray
--CO-04: Marilyn Musgrave
--CO-05: Doug Lamborn
--CO-07: Rick O'Donnell
--CT-04: Christopher Shays
--FL-13: Vernon Buchanan
--FL-16: Joe Negron
--FL-22: Clay Shaw
--ID-01: Bill Sali
--IL-06: Peter Roskam
--IL-10: Mark Kirk
--IL-14: Dennis Hastert
--IN-02: Chris Chocola
--IN-08: John Hostettler
--IA-01: Mike Whalen
--KS-02: Jim Ryun
--KY-03: Anne Northup
--KY-04: Geoff Davis
--MD-Sen: Michael Steele
--MN-01: Gil Gutknecht
--MN-06: Michele Bachmann
--MO-Sen: Jim Talent
--MT-Sen: Conrad Burns
--NV-03: Jon Porter
--NH-02: Charlie Bass
--NJ-07: Mike Ferguson
--NM-01: Heather Wilson
--NY-03: Peter King
--NY-20: John Sweeney
--NY-26: Tom Reynolds
--NY-29: Randy Kuhl
--NC-08: Robin Hayes
--NC-11: Charles Taylor
--OH-01: Steve Chabot
--OH-02: Jean Schmidt
--OH-15: Deborah Pryce
--OH-18: Joy Padgett
--PA-04: Melissa Hart
--PA-07: Curt Weldon
--PA-08: Mike Fitzpatrick
--PA-10: Don Sherwood
--RI-Sen: Lincoln Chafee
--TN-Sen: Bob Corker
--VA-Sen: George Allen
--VA-10: Frank Wolf
--WA-Sen: Mike McGavick
--WA-08: Dave Reichert
