Let the Cannibalism Begin!

Are you starting to salivate? It’s nearly time you know. The winds continue to blow warm and cozy for the Democrats and the Republicans are shivering in small enclaves, fighting a defensive war, hoping to salvage a seat here and there in Congress. Indeed, that is where much of the infighting is now centered.

Will McCain read the clear writing on the wall, and turn his remaining resources into saving seats in Congress? Or will he not? Plenty of voices in the Party now clamor for him to accept the inevitable and concentrate on “putting country first” and the Party at least second. It is not clear yet that he will, and my money suggests he will not. If nothing else, John McCain is a sore and angry loser. No doubt he blames some of those in the Party that are urging him to help the down ticket, as the ones who did not believe in him, and thus did not work for him to win.

Even McCain himself is stumping that voters need to elect him to prevent a Obama/Pelosi/Reed power team. But increasingly, Party members are not making the argument that voters should vote for McCain, as they are arguing that voters should vote Republican on the down ticket to soften the power of Democrats in Congress. It is never a good thing when you are down to an argument that we should vote to prevent a super majority by the other party. That is argument from a position of accepted defeat.

But of course, that is only half the battle that will soon ensue. The worst issue facing the Grand Old Party, is what to do about Palin. While her support is raucous, it seems limited. There are claims that those who have spoken against her in the Party will be purged as enemies. There are those who claim that the Intelligentsia of the Party will purge both her and her followers. Time of course will tell.

A few weeks ago I groused that after the election, I might be hard put to find an excuse to continue blogging. After all, this blog has been devoted in the main to the national political scene, and to the election specifically. Well, I think the turmoil and chaos that is now the Republican Party will produce so much material that I can be happily engaged for months, if not longer. I truly cannot wait for the books to start pouring forth, defined by some as a firing squad wherein all participants are armed and stand in a circle firing at will.

I have no doubt that much of this infighting made public will not help the Palin express. Much will be aimed at explaining the rather sticky situation so many found themselves in and why they felt compelled to be “good soldiers” and tout the Alaska phenom to the bitter end. Alas, many will find that they have lost all credibility because of their continuing assurances that indeed Ms. Palin is ready to step into the Commander’s shoes.

I refer explicitly to people like Joe Lieberman and Lindsay Graham. Both have, it seems, tied their wagons to the train of McCain which is now about to wreck. They went “all-in” and offered a bluff that they kept up with amazing fortitude. But to no avail. It was a bluff, and all but the totally wingnuttery of the Party saw through it quite quickly. Oh, had the “vetters” just conducted one tiny practice interview before John made the decision, all this could have been averted.

Meanwhile, self-styled King maker, or Queen maker as the case may be, Bill Kristol, has begun to blame Palin’s failure to excite widespread acceptance, as the fault of the McCain campaign itself. She has not been promoted properly according to him. This of course is not a new tack for Kristol. He also claims at least partial credit for the architecture of the Iraq war. That was of course, simply mismanaged, not wrong in concept. Meanwhile Karl Rove, begins that sly distancing that will end up being an “I tried to tell them they were doing it wrong, but they wouldn’t listen to me,” diatribe that will leave him smelling sweet still. At least he hopes so.

Everyone has been waiting for this one. It’s been rumored for a few days, and snippets have been leaked, although the article until yesterday was unavailable. The NYTimes Magazine has a huge piece on the inside goings on of the McCain campaign. Don’t miss it, but do make sure you have some time! If your heart goes all aflutter at the idea of getting the inside scoop, then don’t miss this one. As Betty Davis once said, “It’s going to be a bumpy ride.”

Here are a few tidbits to whet your appetite:

On the way to pick a VEEP candidate:

“The way you pick a vice president is, you get a frame of Time magazine, and you put the pictures of the people in that frame. You look at who fits that frame best — that’s your V. P.”

And this question asked immediately after Sarah’s amazing GOP convention speech:

“Leaving aside her actual experience, do you know how informed Governor Palin is about the issues of the day?”The senior adviser thought for a moment. Then he looked up from his beer. “No,” he said quietly. “I don’t know.”

All in all, I think I can find a lot to blog about in coming weeks and months. It should be a real hoot. I feel more than right in having a good laugh at the troubles of the Republicans. After all, this moment has been long awaited. We have lived through what we mostly thought we might not–the presidency of the great/little Dubya. And sadly, some have not lived through it, but we have, and we are stronger for it. What don’t kill ya makes you stronger as they say.