It was a good night for the Democrats

and a bad night for the Republicans

The Democratic debate has been a love fest

The candidates have all (for very good reasons)

decided to pull back from the mutual

kamikaze tone of the past few days

Romney's campaign was a reminder of how far corporate Republicans are from free market Republicans. He proposed $20 billion in new federal spending on research.

He insisted that Washington had to get fully engaged in restoring the United States automotive industry. “Detroit can only thrive if Washington is an engaged partner,” he said, “not a disinterested observer.”

He vowed, “If I’m president of this country, I will roll up my sleeves in the first 100 days I’m in office, and I will personally bring together industry, labor, Congressional and state leaders and together we will develop a plan to rebuild America’s automotive leadership.”

Republicans Brawl, Democrats Yawn [Campaign Stops]

Here are a few things that happened Tuesday night.

First, it was a good night for the Democrats and a bad night for the Republicans. The Democratic debate has been a love fest. The candidates have all (for very good reasons) decided to pull back from the mutual kamikaze tone of the past few days.

Their discussion constituted a repudiation of the old Boss Daley of Chicago, who famously said that politics ain’t beanbag.

Apparently politics is beanbag, because that’s all the Democrats threw at each other tonight. I’ve seen more conflict at a pacifists’ stir-fry.

Meanwhile, the Republican prospects in the fall just got even dimmer. I say this not only because a weak general election candidate won a primary, but because Mitt Romney’s win pretty much guarantees a bitter fight for the nomination.

If you doubt that, here is what Rush Limbaugh said about McCain and Huckabee on his program today: “I’m here to tell you, if either of these two guys get the nomination, it’s going to destroy the Republican Party, it’s going to change it forever, be the end of it.”

This week, Rush and his radio mimics have been on the rampage on the party’s modernizers, from Newt Gingrich on over.

This thing will only get uglier.

Second, Mitt Romney found, as Hillary would say, his voice. I remember watching him campaign at a financial company about 6 months ago.

He talked about business and was fantastic. The next event was at a senior citizen center. He was ideological and dreadful. In Michigan, the full corporate Mitt was on display.

His campaign was a reminder of how far corporate Republicans are from free market Republicans. He proposed $20 billion in new federal spending on research.

He insisted that Washington had to get fully engaged in restoring the United States automotive industry. “Detroit can only thrive if Washington is an engaged partner,” he said, “not a disinterested observer.”

He vowed, “If I’m president of this country, I will roll up my sleeves in the first 100 days I’m in office, and I will personally bring together industry, labor, Congressional and state leaders and together we will develop a plan to rebuild America’s automotive leadership.”

This is how the British Tory party used to speak in the 1970s.

The third thing that happened tonight is that Hillary Clinton and John Edwards disgraced themselves in the minds of debate-watchers everywhere.

At some point in each campaign, candidates are asked to name their greatest weakness. Only the lamest political hacks answer that question this way: Goshdarn it, I just care too much. I am too impatient for good things to happen.

Giving that answer is an insult to the art of politics. And yet Edwards and Clinton both gave that answer. They didn’t even give artfully disguised versions of that answer.

They gave the straight, unsubtle kindergarten version of that answer. Obama, honestly, admitted that he’s bad at organizing his paperwork. Truly, here is a man willing to stand for change.


Excerpt from romney's Victory Speech

"America is great because we have a great government, and we do have a great government. But that's not what makes us the best nation, the strongest nation, the greatest nation on earth. What makes us such a great nation is the American people.

I take my inspiration from Ronald Reagan and George Herbert Walker Bush..."

(APPLAUSE)

"... who took their inspiration from the American people, hardworking American people, people who believed in opportunity, who loved education, God-fearing people, people who also loved their families, people deeply patriotic.

"It is that characteristic of the American people that makes us the most powerful nation on Earth.

"Ronald Reagan, George Herbert Walker Bush, said we are a great and good people. It's exactly what we are. It's why we will always be the most powerful nation on Earth."

Can you imagine listening to that sort of crap for the next 4-8 years?

God Knows Who Will Win the Republivcan Nomination


The Buddhist monks of Tibet traditionally select a replacement for the Dalai Lama by visiting a sacred lake for spiritual guidance before travelling the land to divine the reincarnation of previous leaders in a boy identified by celestial markings.

Perhaps the Republican party should consider that method for selecting its presidential candidates. After all, its current system isn't working too well.

After months of campaigning, tens of millions of dollars spent on advertising and a quartet of primaries and caucuses, the Republicans of America have spoken loud and clear in choosing their presidential candidate. With one voice they have said: "Uh?"

From the snows of Iowa to the snows of New Hampshire to the even deeper snows of Michigan, one thing is clear: nothing.

Well, one thing is clear. The Republican candidates loath each other more than the Democratic party.

Mitt Romney timed his victory appearance in Michigan to cut into the second-placed John McCain's concession speech, and so rob him of valuable free media in a cheap stunt.

Fred Thompson's campaign promptly put out a statement sneering at Mike Huckabee's third place finish - neglecting to mention that Thompson himself gathered a derisory 4%. (To put that into context: "Uncommitted" got 2%.)