Turnabout, Like it or Not

Bill Hobbs makes the usual noise about Dick Gephardt, and adds that there's a silence from lefty bloggers on the issue - unlike the uproar against Trent Lott. Gephart said:

"When I'm president, we'll do executive orders to overcome any wrong thing the Supreme Court does tomorrow or any other day.

Bill, and others around the Right side of the 'sphere, seem to attach great significance to Gephardt's statement as if it were part of his platform or official policy, and as if it were a definite campaign promise. I see it as an offhand comment during a discussion session at a candidates forum with other Democratic candidates and partisans. His comment was of the, "If that guy comes around here again, I'll kill him!" or "Everybody at my office is an idiot!" or "If I don't get this promotion, I'll kill myself" variety. It's bravado, it's hyperbole, it's playing to the audience. Nothing more. People do this all the time - their tongues get the better of them, and they say something they know probably isn't true or that they can't deliver on. But they go on, and we go on, because most people know it's so ridiculous he couldn't actually be serious.

Was it dumb? Sure. Was it ill-advised? Probably, although it likely got a rousing ovation from the crowd. Was it as bad as Trent Lott's pro-discrimination comments regarding Strom Thurmond? Not in the same ballpark.

And since the righty bloggers have all the time in the world to make hey of this...well, you know, it beats reading more about how Hillary is the anti-Christ.

Speaking of..

Bill also criticizes South Knox Bubba's contention that Bush has said some dumb things, too. I agree with Bill that they were mostly in the Popeye "pronunskiation" variety, but then he says this:

"Stopping Bush has become the Left's only organizing principle."

Dare I remind everyone that from 1992-2000, stopping Clinton was the Right's only organizing principle. Period. It had nothing really to do with policy, idealogy, opinions, whatever. It was stop Bill Clinton at all costs because He Is A Threat To Our Power. And it culminated in a politically created and motivated impeachment. I'm not saying what the Left is doing is correct in criticizing Bush, but Republicans have nobody to blame but themselves for any political backlash the president is receiving, has received, or will receive at the hands of liberals. What goes around comes around, and paybacks are hell.

And it continues today, 2 years after after Clinton left office - he's criticized for taking speaking engagements, hosting a talk show with Bob Dole, and daring to show his face in public. And let's not even talk about the hysteria that happens whenever Hillary Clinton's name is mentioned. She has the audacity to write a memoir, and is attacked - not because she wrote a book, but because she dared bring her head above water back into the general public view.