No wonder so many Republicans (who probably realize that is not why voters elected them) are choosing NOT to run for reelection. Of course, several of those not running are involved in federal or ethics investigations.

Rove tries to make Dems the do-nothing Congress for not getting out budget bills, but fails to mention Republicans did as badly or worse the past two congresses.

Rove’s predictable attempt to frame the election-year rap on congressional Democrats doesn’t pass muster as constructive criticism. It’s GOP-serving propaganda using cherry-picked information and slant, nothing more.

The public wants a hero, a weaver of dreams who is also a superman able to beat opponents and enemies alike.

Obama is criticized for not being enough of a politician. He should attack more, get nasty, control the message more.

Hillary, however, is criticized for being too much of a politician. She tries to control the message and ’sell’ herself.

What, then, does the public want?
The right foreign policy to regain our status in the world, the right approach to handling our social problems like health care or the best plan for handling global problems like climate change?
The public doesn’t seem to care. I note the scant number of posts in the blogoshpere comparing the various healh care plans in relation to the number of blog posts comparing tactics, personalities and private lives past and present

Everyone complains about the nasty side of politics, but it seems to me everyone also creates it, by caring more about side issues than core issues and by encouraging and indulging in the search and destroy type of political commentary.

We demand to see the blood sport side of politicas, but we denounce it when we get it.

Nice going, public.
Just don;t complain when the ussues of substance and lost opportunities hit you in the face after the elections, when it’s too late.

You nailed it here. Allowing this issue to be politicized was a huge mistake- as was judging whether opposing views enabled our enemies. Your critique of both parties’ inability to do more than demagogue is right on!

Her handlers, in their quest to manage the message, handed her salivating antagonists, including Sen. Edwards, the talking point they crave: Mrs. Clinton is inauthentic and calculating.

The problem isn’t that she appears “inauthentic and calculating”. Wnen combined with her previous haranguing of a questioner who asked a question she didn’t like, it suggests that her handlers don’t trust her to think and speak on her feet.