You cut the quote too soon, Steve - it goes on:

I felt like I was taking crazy pills. I sat on the other side of the glass and realized...this really is the Apocalypse. The Seventh Seal is broken and its time for eight years of pure, delicious crazy....

This jackass now knows how I've freaking felt for the last 8 GODDAMN FREAKING YEARS! Longer than that, really, because the anti-Clinton crazy gets tacked on there too.

Good to know my T-shirt is working – the one that reads “I'm Republican and I'm voting for the scary skinny black elitist Muslim terrorist dude�.

The pendulem swings.But,remember it's just an arc.It will look the same from the other side.

If by "no holds barred attack on Barak Obama" you mean "lying racist fear mongering propaganda...."

I'd like names to be named. Who are the consulting firms and advertising agencies doing this, who works for the public relations firms responsible. What corporations are behind the assault on America, Americans and our values. Let's pull them out in the town square and have them tarred and feathered. First up, Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh.

"I'm gonna hate him the minute I vote for him. He's gonna be a bad president."

And how will this guy feel if Obama turns out to be a decent president? If in 2012 we've come through a nasty recession and are on the upswing?

Could be a long long time in the wilderness, goopers.

I want the government to take over all of Wall Street and bankers and the car companies and Wal-Mart run this county like we used to when Reagan was President."

Holy cow. We've been going at this all wrong.
We've been under the assumption people have been fooled into liking Reagan's policies!
People are only HALF as dumb as we think!

All we have to do is do what we want to do... be as progressive as we like, but just finish every policy speech with "...and go BACK to way Reagan used to do things!"

Basic health care as a right, not a privilege...just like Ronald Reagan said we should!

Closer supervision of financial firms so they don't come up with investment vehicles no one but they understand. Reagan never would have tolerated such scams!

Ronald Reagan had the right approach on reproductive rights when he said: "Abortion shouldn't just be safe and legal. It should be RARE!"

DEMOCRATS: The Party of Reagan!

Hey, if crazy sells... let's make sure it's on the menu. Doesn't mean you and I have to eat it...

You really miss the Money Quote there, Steve: The Republican consultant writes Smith that these are "Reagan Dems and Independents..'blue collar plus'" or "More Target than Walmart."

I love that -- "more Target than Walmart."

And WE'RE supposed to be the "elitists"???

woops, Barack.

Wow. Just---wow. To be in a position where no matter how much they hate the other guy, ---and you know in your heart that they hate you more---has got to hurt. These Republikanner scum are finally---FINALLY---collecting the wages of their monstrous defecation on the Constitution, the People, and the Laws of the Republic.

And the take-home pay spells "DOOM" for the Republican brand, in all its devilish, hateful glory.

It couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch....

Yay. More voters like this please. I guess. I mean, god they're dumb. But at this point, I'll take sheer resentment against 8 years of rightwing radical insanity any day. Even if it is deeply, deeply confused. Reagan???? Whatev'

Some do the correct thing for the weirdest reasons. Personally when the Dark Lord whispered into Bush’s ear “Say that your hero is Jesus Christ�, I knew that Bush was a phony and demagogue.

captain dan, IIRC the phony moment, Bush declared Jesus his favorite "political philosopher," which is way more phony than "hero."

jimBOB: "And how will this guy feel if Obama turns out to be a decent president?"

No kidding. Imagine how relieved these folks will be when they realize that Obama isn't a Muslim terrorist or Weather-bomber.

The joke about Obama is that he has messianic charisma. If people who think the worst of him still vote for him, that explains the fervor of those who think better of him.

Canvassing in NH this last weekend we ran into this attitude a lot. I was frankly shocked at the number of Republicans who said they intended to vote for Obama because they had had it with the Republican party. They didn't so much like Obama as they hated what the republican party had become. However, single biggest reason given for not supporting McCain was Palin. As one independent said, "no way she's getting near the white house if I have anything to say about it."

Am I supposed to be somehow comforted that negative advertising still works but it's not effective this time because conditions in the country are so bad? Does this mean the Democrats can only win when a Republican administration is taking the country over a cliff?

I see trouble ahead. To keep the madness under control Obama is going to have to ensure that the American Way of Life is not negotiable (that path that Reagan got us started on). Obama or no Obama, we are screwed.

Tooweary--Too true. But... remember when Obama had that line about Reagan that he took so much heat for? Guy's got good instincts, gotta give him that.

"I don't know much about this terrorist group Barack used to be in with that Weather guy "

These people seriously scare me. Some of it is willful ignorance, but this one quote is so g'damned intellectually lazy it scares me.

WOW!! Never under estimate the stupidity of the American voter. No wonder the repugs try to play to the lowest common denominator. I guess I should be happy that at least they say that they are going to vote for Obama but still the level of ignorance is just much to take sometimes.
And we wonder why we are falling behind as a country in so many things.

Scott F,

out of which office?

Ha ha ha! They think Obama was a member of the Weathermen - and they are still going to vote for him! Truly hilarious.

So, paternalistic politics comes home to roost. Keep the voters stupid, push them around with fear, and what you'll be left with are exactly these people -- who you CANNOT REASON WITH.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The irony is epic.

I'd love to know what upper mid-western state this was... I have a hard time believing it would be MN or WI, but those would make the most sense, I guess.

I felt like I was taking crazy pills. I sat on the other side of the glass and realized...this really is the Apocalypse. The Seventh Seal is broken and its time for eight years of pure, delicious crazy....

Eight years? Amateur. Welcome to the way I've been feeling since about 1994.

Well, I don't know much about this terrorist group Barack used to be in with that Weather guy

Dr. Greg Forbes?! Say it ain't so!

Ha ha ha! They think Obama was a member of the Weathermen - and they are still going to vote for him! Truly hilarious.

I have a hard time deciding whether that's hilarious or frightening. I mean, I'll take the vote, sure, but to think that there are American voters who believe that a presidential candidate was (a) actually a member of a violent terrorist group and (b) STILL PLAN TO VOTE FOR HIM ANYWAY?!?!?! How on Earth do you ever reason with such people?

Pass the popcorn. I'm lovin' it!

The Simpsons did a hilarious take off on these focus groups and political ads--the particular ad in this case created guilt by association between a candidate and a middle eastern terrorist because there were articles about both of them in the same issue of the NYT.
"And you shall know them by the company they keep." LOL
The group included Homer, and let's just say he didn't question the premise of the ad.

I mean, I'll take the vote, sure, but to think that there are American voters who believe that a presidential candidate was (a) actually a member of a violent terrorist group and (b) STILL PLAN TO VOTE FOR HIM ANYWAY?!?!?! How on Earth do you ever reason with such people?

That's what 8 years of George W. Bush will do to you, but I'll take the votes as well. If Obama proves them wrong, it ensures his re-election.

What will be funniest of all is when they decide to put the ad out publicly anyway. They know it won't work, they know it will just be a huge waste of money, but it's all they have so they'll use it anyway.

My prediction is that Obama and the Dems will win in a landslide and eventually put the country back together. Then the Repubs will claim credit for all the good things and these same citizens will buy into it once again and the cycle will repeat itself as it always seems to.

But whatever. Let's savor our moment of crushing triumph while we can.

A "no-holds-barred attack"...

OK we should stop the euphemisms now, even the Muslim terrorist ones.

What this means is -- "Let's lynch the uppity nigger".

That's the ugly truth of it. We can dance around it all we want, but there it is.

The Republicans have been playing with this sort of fire since they hatched the "Southern Strategy". They encouraged bigotry with a wink and a nod. Now they are reaping the result.

First off, anyone who uncritically believes a "no holds barred" republican attack ad is a COMPLETE FUCKING MORON. That they will still vote for Obama is thick chocolate icing on the cake.

If they can't persuade these walking vegetables, they are truly toast.

Ben Smith should clarify: this was no Republican consultant. There are no Republicans anymore, or there won't be.

Verisimilitude

Benen: There's a very good reason so many Republicans are so nervous right now.

Actually it goes way deeper then the wacky quotes. The smarter and more decent conservatives are abandoning the party and hoping to reformulate and leave the Palinistas behind.

That's a story the MSM has woken up to yet.
Even the blogosphere hasn't glommed onto it.

But... it is all around if you could but perceive...

Two points:

1. We should have all seen the GOP downfall coming just based on rightwing trolls -- how many times have they come in here, repeated GOP talking points and lies, and then said they weren't actually a Republican/didn't vote for Bush?

To be honest, I can't remember a single troll ever admitting to voting for Bush. I guess the dude got elected by magic.

2. IMHO, while the current economic crisis, the failed wars, etc. all have a lot to do with the GOP being toxic, I really think the Palin selection sealed their fate.

The right has managed to keep most of its insane base at arm's length, trotting them out only when necessary to seal up a few more votes, or to pander.

But now, a member of their far-right base is in the national spotlight, has been given a huge platform, and has exposed herself as comically incompetent and nuttier than elephant shit. A few moderates saw that and bolted, and may not return.

Once again, I really, really don't wanna get my hopes up -- as a Kansas City Chiefs fan, I've learned to temper any expectations of monumental victories (see: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, and 2003 NFL playoffs for why).

But, damn ... things like this make me wanna do a happy dance.

A woman who is more worried about paying for health insurance than 40-year old political ties? I can see how that consultant was blown away! Unreal! Crazy pills!

Uh, I guess I'll take the vote.

But really, this just makes me feel like we, as Americans, are doomed.

Feels like we just keep putting off the inevitable.

"Well, I don't know much about this terrorist group Barack used to be in with that Weather guy

You should have to have a license to possess stupidity in such a pure, unadulterated form

Democrats have a helluva an opportunity here. Help these people get access to health care, a living wage, educate their kids, give them some security in retirement, and never let them forget that the Democratic Party helped them. Give them something to believe in and they'll vote with us for a generation.

Revulsion. It's better than hope.

Shorter focus group: To please the Reagan Democrats, you have to be a Democrat.

I felt like I was taking crazy pills.

He's a Republican -- he has been taking crazy pills ("Cutting taxes raises revenue!" "Saddam did have WMDs!"); he just found out that the rest of the country doesn't want them any more.

Epiphany! I finally understand why they're called Reagan Democrats.

Democrats have a helluva an opportunity here. Help these people get access to health care, a living wage, educate their kids, give them some security in retirement, and never let them forget that the Democratic Party helped them. Give them something to believe in and they'll vote with us for a generation.

Why do you think the GOP worked so hard to fight Clinton's health care initiative? Why do you think they still fight Social Security? Why do you think they're trying so hard to blame the meltdown on Fannie Mae?

Republicans have a losing hand: Their policies don't give Americans what they want, and Democratic policies do. They've done the best they could to use smear tactics and phony wedge issues to distract from the fact, but in the end the reality is too obvious for anyone to ignore.

Rogers: I've been told Dinsdale Piranha nailed your head to the floor.
Stig: No. Never. He was a smashing bloke. He used to buy his mother flowers and that. He was like a brother to me.
Rogers: But the police have film of Dinsdale actually nailing your head to the floor.
Stig: (pause) Oh yeah, he did that.

"Well, I don't know much about this terrorist group Barack used to be in with that Weather guy"

I had plenty of conversations with frustratingly thick persons but I could see myself jerking the chain of a Republican pollster with this kind of comment. Indeed, if the irony was intended, it has a certain genius.

Steve -

"no-hold-bars"? Where did that come from? I clicked through to Ben's piece, fully expecting it to be one more example of his semi-literacy - except that it's "no-holds-barred" over there. Did Ben fix his boo-boo, or is this one original with you?

In either case, fie.

If he's a smart Republican consultant, and knowing the results from that group, he should probably take the couple of million dollars from Citizens for Whatever that paid him, run that ad twice in Minot around 3:45am, and spend the rest on some serious office upgrades (hey, everyone needs 52" flat-screens in their office, right?). It's not like it'll make a difference in the final results whether the ad runs or not...

Does this mean the Democrats can only win when a Republican administration is taking the country over a cliff? Posted by: demisod

Looks like it. That's why the Dems have to be damn near perfect or their narrow majority will begin to dissipate at the midterms and Obama will be a one term wonder.

Wouldn't you think that if they really believed the terrorist smears about Obama but couldn't stand the Republicans that they would just stay home?