The Derider

I didn't catch the speech--the highlights were enough, including the liar, liar moment. Another Joe Wilson calling the president a liar. Wasn't one enough? Actually, when first reading the headline I thought it was the actual Joe Wilson Plame and was kicking myself for missing that must-see TV moment.

The other Joe says it was spontaneous, bringing to mind Peter Sellers' character in Doctor Strangelove whose arm kept saluting Hitler. Now we're being told by Mom that Wilson's badness was legendary and that nothing so horrible has ever been witnessed in that hallowed chamber before, not even collectively booing a president over Social Security reform.

Ah well, the prez is a beer-drinking skinny tough guy from Chicago, it couldn't have bothered him much. Then again, the theme of the speech was "trust me again, I said, dammit", so the liar comment had to sting a little. Matter of fact the whole premise is trust--that your insurance will not change for the worse and you can keep it; that an unelected insurance czar administrator will be fair and above politicization; that there are no death end of life consultation panels; and that it's deficit neutral, and we'll go broke faster without his 'reform' than with it.

Seems a similar line of reasoning was trotted out before the Stimulator bill. Reality is getting in the way despite the media's best efforts to paint the picture otherwise, but what else do voters have when dealing with politicians? "It's still Bush's fault" is gradually passing its expiration date.

So the the time for bickering is over, ie, it's campaign time. Or maybe desperation time. CNN apologizes thusly:

But this coup de grace wasn't: "My door is always open" to new ideas, the president said. "But know this: I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it's better politics to kill this plan than improve it. ... And I will not accept the status quo as a solution."

And he should know this: millions of Americans took to the streets in an effort to kill the plan and keep the status quo they know and tolerate over some devil they don't know. They saw the stimulus. And they aren't politicians. And a lot of them live in Blue Dog districts.