I’ve often talked about the vulgarization of America, how polarized our politics have become, and what I call the talk radio political culture’s influence in undermining civility and compromise. But who ever thought we would seriously see a statement for a political party if their candidate loses such as this one after GOPers lost the CA-36 special election? No, what you are about to read is not from The Onion:
Washington — National Republican Congressional Committee Communications Director Paul Lindsay today made the following statement in response to the special election results in California’s 36th Congressional District:
“Janice Hahn is now Nancy Pelosi’s problem. Between her pattern of unethical behavior and close ties to LA’s most dangerous gang members, Hahn is adding to the pollution in the swamp of Washington corruption built by Nancy Pelosi’s Democrats.”
This is yet another lowering of the bar. This sounds more like a comment on a blog or a talk show rant. And, in a way, that is what our politics is becoming — or has become. The sad thing: a statement could have been issued that could have been respectfully critical of the victor and the person in whose name this was issued most assuredly could have written something more in keeping with American political tradition than of a caller on the Michael Savage or Sean Hannity show.
The problem here: How does a statement like that help Republicans next time someone is up for that seat? It is only preaching to the choir and is a turnoff to Democrats, independent voters and I’ll bet many thoughtful Republicans (and there are many thoughtful Republicans).
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.