Pirate's Cove

Hence, the Republicans on display must have actually done a good job!

(Fish Wrap) Monday’s Republican presidential debate in New Hampshire — full of historical error, economic obfuscation, avoidance of hard truths and even outright bigotry — was a feast for connoisseurs of political dysfunction. Desperate to avoid being outflanked on the right, the seven candidates tried so hard to outdo each other in finding fault with President Obama that they seemed to forget that they are competing for the same party nomination. By evening’s end, they had melted into an indistinguishable mass of privatizing, tax-cutting opponents of Shariah law.

Privatizing, tax cutting opponents of Shariah Law? They sound like wise positions to me. Does this mean the NY Times is for implementing Sharia law (BTW, Times? It’s spelled Sharia in English. Unless you were intentionally using the Arabic, and dropped a few character (SharÄ«Ê¿ah).

For the moment, the candidates are appealing to a Republican Party whose core is so contorted in fury at Mr. Obama that it barely resembles the one that nominated George W. Bush in 2000. Mr. Bush may have prosecuted the war on terror to excess, but he always reminded the country that it was not at war with Islam. This batch of Republicans has dispensed with such niceties. Herman Cain repeated his earlier statement that he would not be comfortable with a Muslim in his cabinet. Some, he explained, “are trying to kill us.”

In fact, Fish Wrap, some are. Have you noticed those two really tall buildings downtown are missing? Remember the Crotch Bomber? Richard Reid? And so many others? How about Major Nidal Hassan? Ring a bell?

Eventually, the winner of the Republican nomination will move away from the Tea Party’s anger to try to appeal to a broader electorate that has higher priorities than interfering with laws on same-sex marriage and upending Congress’s decision to welcome openly gay and lesbian soldiers. That broader electorate, eager to hear the candidates’ plans to resuscitate the economy, would be hard pressed to find a coherent pathway out of joblessness from the Republican field on Monday night.

What follows in the editorial are a few cherry picked ideas from the Republican candidates…..we’re still waiting for the NY Times to excoriate Obama’s worthless economic plans. But, on second blush, is the Fish Wrap admitting that Obama’s economic plans stink like a 5 day old fish in the garbage can?

Anyhow, they prove that they have not followed the TEA Party nor understand it: same sex marriage and gays in the military have not been even a low priority for the movement. But, we can tell what is on the forefront of the editorial boards’ minds.

But, at some point, those voters are going to want these candidates to start making some distinctions among themselves, and that will require far more truth-telling than was evident on Monday.

Why do they care? They are in the bag for the worst president since Herbert Hoover. Personally, I would rather the candidates spend their time beating up on Obama, highlighting their own strengths and policy ideas, rather than beating each other up. In the private sector, when you are angling for a job or a promotion, you tell the interviewer(s) why they should hire/promote you, not why the other candidates stink. You don’t tear the others down. Love to see the Republican candidates take this route as much as possible.

Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.