I keep hearing that Democratic senators have to hold back on blasting John McCain because "they have to work with him." I even hear it from some Democratic nattering-nabobs. What? Let John McCain worry about that. Which is preferable? Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama -- among others -- walk into the Senate chambers and feel bad because they've insulted McCain - or McCain walks into the Senate chambers and feels bad because he has been exposed as the pseudo-"Maverick," out of touch, corrupt, lapsed idealist -- to the extent that he ever was one in the first place, filthy rich, pseudo-regular guy, bellicose, dangerous, shortsighted, warmongering, ... I'll stop -- I'm preaching to the converted.
But the Democrats aren't.
Ratings win by "Deal or No Deal" aside -- they are preaching to a big, confused, suckered audience of Americans who might vote for McCain.
Which brings up an even worse scenario than McCain getting his feelings hurt: He feels just fine and doesn't have to worry about walking into the Senate chamber ever again except to cheers and back-slaps -- when he gives the State of the Union.
Did the Republican worry about that John Kerry's feelings would get hurt? I seem to remember more than a few Senators slamming him in New York in 2004 -- not to mention that they never spoke up when he got swiftboated. And, Kerry had to walk into the Senate chamber after the election and hold his head high. Be a grown-up. Let bygones be bygones. Are the Democrats afraid that because McCain has a legendary off-the-hook temper, he'll clock them? You can bet the Republicans are going to go for the gusto next week in Minneapolis-Saint Paul. They'll go after Obama for being elitist, they'll go after Obama for not knowing foreign policy -- when it is McCain who keeps adopting the Obama playbook, they'll say he's a Muslim - someone will, if only in code. I'll stop. But maybe that's the foul-up: the Democrats should have had their convention second so they'd be a little riled up.
Hillary got about two-thirds of the way there. And, Barack shouldn't go thoroughly negative. He says he's running a positive campaign. And, to a great degree, he is. Good for him. Except, he's mostly in a dead heat with all the other Democratic presidential candidates since Kennedy faked the missile gap. Really, I'm scratching my head -- when was the last time a Democrat got down in the mud? Oh yeah, that Dukakis guy. He was a regular Sonny Liston. And the thing is, the Democrats this time around have endless, endless, bad things to say about McCain if they'd only say them. George Sr. was a "wimp." Ronald Reagan was the star of "Bedtime for Bonzo." Jerry Ford fell down the stairs. Dick Nixon was well... Dick Nixon. But McCain tops all that. If only.. if only... this alone... because he'd continue the policies of George Jr. It's like someone saying, "that Benito Hoover guy was a top-notch fellow!" I'll stop. I'm preaching to the converted.
But the Democrats aren't.
If Bill Clinton is right and Obama has "the political instincts of a Chicago thug," let's see it! Give these surrogate senators marching orders... "cut 'em off at the pass" - "and while you are at it, cut 'em off at the knees."
And, PS: If anyone needs to get riled up, here's some help.