Jon Ralston is the best political reporter in Nevada, and he’s pretty alarmed about what he’s seeing both there and in the country. I think he’s on to something when he takes issue with Sharron Angle’s latest press release.
“Sharron Angle produced one of the most successful single quarters of fundraising in the nation’s history for a U.S. Senate campaign. This is a testament to the hatred of Harry Reid, the nation’s disapproval of President Obama, and the unprecedented grass-roots support for Sharron Angle. Harry Reid is losing this race, he knows it, and he is just going to get more desperate over the final three weeks.”
— Angle spokesman Jarrod Agen after reporting GOP Senate nominee had raised $14 million in the third quarter
It’s noteworthy that support for Sharron Angle was mentioned third, while ‘hate’ was mentioned first. Conservatives from all over the country are galvanized by a hatred of Harry Reid. It doesn’t seem very rational. I can tell you that as a Democrat I am not very pleased with Reid’s performance as Majority Leader. I try to cut him some slack most of the time, but it’s not like we come from the same wing of the Democratic Party. When I think of a prototypical Democrat, I don’t think pro-life Mormon. If Reid were not part of the leadership, he’d probably have a voting record more like Ben Nelson than Byron Dorgan. He’s not a liberal, although he does a decent (not great) job of representing their interests in a diverse caucus.
He’s not a liberal, but he’s become the kewpie doll of liberalism for 161,358 conservatives who have sent Sharron Angle donations (averaging $90). Obviously, Reid is suffering because he’s responsible for pushing Obama’s agenda through Congress. Yet, that agenda hasn’t been liberal if judged by historical standards. His health care bill was very similar to what the right-wing Heritage Foundation proposed as an alternative to HillaryCare. Obama’s bills have been crafted in the only they could be crafted in the face of uniform Republican opposition. Legislation can be no more liberal than what Joe Lieberman, Ben Nelson, and at least one Republican senator will sign off on. This stubborn fact helps explain why liberals are grumpy. With such big Democratic majorities, we’re reluctant to accept that this is the best we can do. We’re also a little miffed that our watered down agenda is deemed worthy of seething hatred. The cost of protecting you from the insurance corporations is to give them millions of new customers. And then we’re called socialists and Marxists. And make no mistake, this astounding hatred isn’t just aimed at Harry Reid. It’s aimed at all of us. We didn’t get Gitmo closed, or prosecute anyone for torture, or repeal DOMA, or enact ENDA, or end DODT. We haven’t been able to pass energy or immigration reform, and some of our most cherished nominees have not been confirmed. So much of our agenda has been stymied or diluted, and yet we’re the subject of blistering rhetoric and terrific anger.
What we all have to consider is what it would mean for those that hate us this passionately to actually accrue power in Washington.