Monday, November 10, 2008

Quickie: Energizer Bunny

Whoah, it's kinda like a news vacuum right now, isn't it?

Anyway, one thing keeps striking me as I look at how Republicans are interpreting their huge losses this election cycle: they have no idea what their "base" is. The best example of this is how various people keep talking about how Sarah Palin "energized the base." Huh? Sarah Palin energized two totally non-overlapping groups of Republicans: rural, Christian fundamentalist xenophobic idiots and ivy league neocons. Does the GOP really believe either of these fringe groups is their base? Did they look at Palin's approval rating free-fall? Do they really think the neocon-led foreign policy of the past eight years is viewed as a success? Do they honestly still believe the Christianists have much clout with the general public?

George Bush energized the real Republican base: the suburbanites, the city conservatives, the "security moms" (remember them?), in addition to the extreme right wings (please note the plural).

So anyway, as long as the GOP keeps mistaking their most extreme elements as their "base," they're going to keep hemoraging their real base. And I, for one, couldn't be happier.

UPDATE: It occured to me that this would be like the Democrats referring to Daily Kos diarists and PETA members as their base.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Princess,

Shhhhhhhhhhhh..... what they don't know will hurt them.

Matthew Hubbard said...

She couldn't even really unify the Ivy Leaguers. She lost Christopher Buckley outright, and I don't know if David Brooks counts as Ivy League, but he's definitely not in the fan club.

Anonymous said...

I keep wondering what happened to the real, old fashioned conservatives who used to make up the GOP. The kind who might have thought that Bush's massive debt is a bad idea. They certainly kept quiet for eight years, didn't they? Any of them left to step up now and reclaim their party? Send the fringers like Palin off to form their own party?

Anonymous said...

"Rural, Christian fundamentalist xenophobic idiots..."

Sounds about right to me.

Peteykins said...

No, David Brooks is the type they should consider to be their base. He's not a neocon, and he's been targeted by the Red State/Neocon "Operation Leper" aimed at Palin heretics. Brooks is a typical city conservative, and like most others of his ilk, he was totally repulsed by Palin.

samael7 said...

The neocons and the religious right are amongst the shrillest of squeaky wheels. Worse, they can use moral scolding and/or fear-mongering to their advantage best, and they rarely hesitate to do so.

They are the ones currently crying for conservatism and the GOP to become MORE conservativier, only to do it HARDER, LOUDER, and FASTER than before. The more rational ones are sort of getting the picture, although they're giving us the old, "Conservatism can't fail, it can only BE failed" schtick. ("Bush wasn't a REAL conservative!" Which might be true, but he suuuuure was your pally!)

The GOP circular firing squad shaping up now looks like it's going to be loads more entertaining than the one in 1992. Here's hoping

dguzman said...

I love it when you get all analysis-y.

Fran said...

The new GOP creed is that this financial ruin was created by Obama, because the Dems are in charge!
Yes- Bush is still driving this bus, but let's get on this bandwagon early....

Blame Obama.

In a twisted way, I guess Bush's flaming financial ruins are in part what helped Obama get elected. I can't bring myself to thank him though.

Not only did they lose the election-- but to a black guy!

McCain must be hitting the Prozac & Ambien- hard.

Furthermore, there is a Dem majority in both the house & senate.

The base is melting like an iceberg in Alaska, on a hot global warming, summer day.

Anonymous said...

Princess, will you be forecasting Obama's cabinet? There are many, many scary names being tossed around, and I, for one, could use some levity when considering that John Kerry may be filling in Dr. Rice's Ferragamos.

Peteykins said...

I'm rootin' for Richardson!

They should totally make a bumper sticker that says that!

I might have to create a "Bill Richardson Facial Hair Alert System."

Peteykins said...

I love it when you get all analysis-y.

I know, it's pretty ludicrous when I do that, huh?

Kathy said...

To cause Rush's head to explode, I'd like Obama to have Barbara Strissand in the Cabinet, and of course, Bill Ayers in a MAJOR education position.

KA-POW! All over the country heads popping like water balloons.

okojo said...

Oh boy, the media is not doing its job, when you have more perception in a nutshell the problems with the Republican Party..

You forgot to mentioned Clothes Horse Beer Baronesses and former rodeo queens, they seemed to have a big pull on the Republican Party. That wing seemed to want de-regulation on botox, and tumeric color outfits to get us out of the economic success.

Anyway, I thought your post had some good points, really!

tangobaby said...

Yeah, if they keep going like they are now, we can be voting for Obama's daughters to continue the legacy, after Michelle serves eight years.

Just let Bill Kristol keep thinking he's in charge and we'll be crying with joy every four years from now on.

Matthew Hubbard said...

Daily Kos diarists for Ivy League neocons I agree with, but I'd say the fundies for the Repubs are more like the union members for the Dems. Both groups are not as big and not as monolithic as the parties might like to believe.

Anonymous said...

Re: Bill Richardson.
He's right up there with the king of Jordan in the bear sweepstakes.
In a creepier, handsy sort of way.

Love Condi's new hair! Oh my! Change HAS come!

llewelly said...

Princess Sparkle Pony :

Do they honestly still believe the Christianists have much clout with the general public?

Of course they do. Gay marriage bans passed in three more states - includint California, despite its reputation of being America's 'liberal left coast'. A bill banning adoption by gays also passed in Arkansas.