Midterm Madness, Part Four: The Seven Deadly Sins

Welcome, once again, to our ongoing "Midterm Madness" series, in which we document the overall decline of American political discourse, as it ceaselessly plods towards its psychotic, substance-free end.

And what a month it's been! No one is even pretending to make sense anymore! Instead, the political discussion has become a venue for each and every one of the seven deadly sins to bloom forth with the pungent stench of decay. You can account for them all: Gluttony (pork-eating pols and tequila swilling California ladies), sloth (Jan Brewer's unique "I won't even prepare for my one debate" strategy), envy (Carl Paladino seems to wish that he'd look as good in a Speedo as the gay pride participants that bedevil him), pride (Russ Feingold's "NFL celebration ad; Jack Conway's tough, chewable hide), lust (EVERYWHERE! AND ONLY CHRISTINE O'DONNELL CAN STOP IT!), and wrath (GOOD GOD, THE WRATH, IT IS EVERYWHERE).

Since this is a contest whose winners will suckle daily on the teat of special interest money, the "greed" is all but implied.

Seriously, it's getting very SEVEN-esque out there! There can be little doubt that by the time election day is here, someone will have put Gwyneth Paltrow's head in a box (and that Ben Quayle, a.k.a. "Brock Landers," will have weighed in on whether he would "tap" that).

Please enjoy!

[Video produced by Ben Craw. With thanks to Elyse Siegel.]

[Would you like to follow me on Twitter? Because why not? Also, please send tips to [e-mail] -- learn more about our media monitoring project here.]

Comments

[CalDemo]

08:59 PM on 10/15/2010

This race shouldn't be this close. Fiorina is a figment of her ego, she's failed as a CEO and was basically fired by McCain during his campaign. She espoused right wing positions and as any good republican candidate would do is now trying to backtrack on them. We know what all the tea party republicans stand for and what they'll do if elected. There isn't a single thing on their agenda that is intended to create jobs, protect us from Wall Street abuse or make us healthier or our kids smarter.

So committed to the tea party that she and Whitman have found other things to do than attend a rpublican party event with Sarah Palin. Maybe they're smart enough to recognize a pariah when they see one.
So the tea partiers are angry? Wait until they experience our wrath if they attempt to undo the safety net programs like social security and medicare, or reduce support for our public schools! We may not be "energized," but it doesn't mean we're not watching and waiting.

[wdw505]

09:47 AM on 10/14/2010

you forgot "keeping the spirits clean around us"

too funny http://tammybruce.com/2010/10/mobama-prayers-keep-the-spirits-clean-around-us.html

[LSP]

05:00 PM on 10/13/2010

"No one is even pretending to make sense anymore!"

And they're not even trying to hide the fact that secretly they're nuts. I think someone's been slipping truth serum in the kool-aid.

[Howard Scott Pearlman]

02:24 PM on 10/13/2010

Help Karl Rove Save America's Billionaires and Millionaires !

Help The Republican Party Save Those Poor Billionaires

Yes, Billionaires are Suffering Today -

Their poor kids can't afford that 5th Lambergini,

They can't buy their eleventh Vacation Home,

Or that 40th $10,000 suit

and the 30th $50,000 gown is now much too expensive.

Please Help a starving Billionaire Today by voting Republican

Remember Caviar ain't cheap.

* * Please send this message all over the internet !

Howard Scott Pearlman

[jfbuf]

09:08 AM on 10/13/2010

is there any reason why people have lost faith in our system?

[izzat7]

08:15 AM on 10/13/2010

Paladino doesn't agree with the gays, but agrees to take money from them by renting space to them. http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/Paladino-Once-Rented-to-Gay-Clubs-Report-104848394.html
Another hypocrite.

[BUSTERtheCAT]

08:07 AM on 10/13/2010

if you vote for any of these embarrassments because they WONT DEBATE or get interviewed, because their own words will be used against them, i say "GET THE NET" for you.

[BUSTERtheCAT]

08:05 AM on 10/13/2010

Newest poll results is from a poll of 616 "potential" voters who answer land lines.

[PWM]

09:23 AM on 10/13/2010

The way they are carrying on, they will only poll people with dial phones.

[willandjansdad]

08:02 AM on 10/13/2010

I prefer the term "self gratification". Who can be against gratification and it's sister word gratitude. More gratitude would save this great nation. The word self denotes the rugged individualism that built this land. And how about self's big brother word....Selflessness?

That "M" word is just dirty.

[Carpetbagger 68]

11:28 AM on 10/13/2010

Yeah, but lots of people get titillated hearing Christine O'Donnell say it.

[littlemonster]

07:24 AM on 10/13/2010

here's the deal... if these wingnuts win, they will be representing an electorate that, by large majority, DOESN'T AGREE WITH THEM. so how will they represent their constituency when it's not just a bunch of people in three-cornered hats, when it includes poor and gay and latino people, when it includes people that rely on federal programs and a minimum wage, when 60% of them support a woman's right to choose, when 83% of them don't support extending tax cuts for the wealthy? we're waiting for some answers, republican'ts... and 'tax cut' is not an answer.

[TN60]

08:10 AM on 10/13/2010

It may take another round of hits of destruction for Americans to wake up to the true facts and not listen to Beck, Hannity, Palin and Limp and their lies.

If people are so easily led by these liars, I fear for this country and that anarchy is real.

Maybe this is what it is going to take to ditch the GOP, once and for all.

[hatrickpenry]

08:34 AM on 10/13/2010

Quite the opposite. Beck is constantly reviewing footage of things he brought up on his program & radio a year ago that highlight the blueprint of exactly what has taken place.
He's been spot on and the proof is there.

[Anonymous17]

09:34 AM on 10/13/2010

Spot on littlemonster, couldn't have said it better myself. f/f

[CheneysACoward]

06:45 AM on 10/13/2010

I really do want to know. When masturbation under Christine is illegal. Will it be enforced under the Honor system? People will just, come clean...pardon the pun. Or will we be under the eye of Chrisie....here's to you , Chrissie !

[rgateman]

07:19 AM on 10/13/2010

I quit masturbating because of all of Christine's views so I sued myself for alienation of affection. I won and now I have to pay myself $300 week for palimony! My lawyer was of course Oily Taintz. Lmao

[Nagarjuna]

07:42 AM on 10/13/2010

If you want something done right, you really have to do it yourself.

[ProfessorDuh]

06:33 AM on 10/13/2010

Right-wing gay bashers. Right wing book burners. Right-wing congressional candidates who like to dress up in Nazi costumes and praise the SS, saying how heroic they were in fighting communism and how we shouldn't judge them.
Hmmm. I believe I'm starting to sense a pattern here. How about you?

[TN60]

08:14 AM on 10/13/2010

Doggone right, and it is Anarchy. Revolution is in the air with gun buying going through the roof and these people are fueling it, like Palin's dog whistles. Slimey Rove is back in action instead of being in jail, and Republicans are making sure that jobs are not coming back anytime soon, when they vote against every job creating bill.

[ProfessorDuh]

08:43 AM on 10/13/2010

We've had this date since the prosecution of Bush and Cheney's criminal acts was taken "off the table." Crimes left unpunished are crimes certain to be repeated, and amplified.

[Randy Wetzel]

05:31 AM on 10/13/2010

And yet, these people have actual supporters.

[BUSTERtheCAT]

08:03 AM on 10/13/2010

the ultimate head scratcher.......they got voting against their own best interest down, i think they "get off" voting against themselves

[b-dob]

05:34 PM on 10/14/2010

What does "best interest" entail? Liberty in exchange for handouts of other peoples' money? Yeah, that sounds great! Why haven't I been voting Democrat?!

[MarkinNM]

09:06 AM on 10/13/2010

In this country all you have to say is "I'm on a mission from G_d" and you have an instant base of 20-25%. If you say you hate government regulation then you have a lot of financial support from the corporations. Pretty simple, really.

[b-dob]

05:35 PM on 10/14/2010

Please explain why corporations send so much donation money to Dems, then.

[TN60]

05:06 AM on 10/13/2010

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/13/opinion/13dowd.html?ref=opinion

Madness is an apt use of words for this midterm. INSANITY is what I call it.

The people who would vote for these SAME REPUBLICANS and expect them to help the 98% of us, really are mad.

Those that would vote for these TPMisfits lineup of critters who are off their rocker, are off their rocker, too. INSANE.

This whole country has developed AMNESIA. It's like someone has spread some kind of gas across the land and Americans are struck dumb, if the polls are to be believed.

Hurting and Misery are not even good excuses. Surely those who lost jobs, remember who lost those jobs, to the tune of 7-800,000 a MONTH when Obama took office. Surely people remember who ran deficits in the TRILLIONS.

Do People really expect these same Republicans who aided Bush, to turn the page and get religion, now?

No, they have stated that they will return to the Bush regime and keep those tax breaks for the wealthy.

The BIGs on Wall St. are getting tuned up to release their big bonuses, again. They are giving almost 100% to Republicans this election.

Why is that ????

[Vikingdave]

01:58 AM on 10/13/2010

Oooooops forgot thishttp://www.politicalcartoons.com/cartoon/d6fc033c-a243-4a1f-b487-0a57589a7a87.html Bwahahahahaha

[Kaviraj]

01:23 PM on 10/14/2010

Lol! Faved.