Tea Party Objectives Side with the Democrats

The Republican voters’ choice of candidates in the Tuesday primaries — including some disastrous ones hardly worthy of being elected in a banana republic or as central Asian potentates — should give some hope to the Democrats. Let’s take the example of Christine O’Donnell, the tea party candidate, chosen by the voters to represent them in the next senate election in November. The woman who founded a group called (if we may say so) Savior’s Alliance for Lifting the Truth has some problems herself with the truth (read Tartuffe the classic). For example, she lied about her degrees; she has a long history of unpaid bills and all sorts of debt. On top of that, O’Donnell is obsessed with the purity of sex and claims that the universe was created in six 24-hour episodes — a kind of divine reality TV. The lady is so downright ridiculous in her lunacy that a site has devoted a column to her entitled “the 13 dumbest quotes of Christine O’Donnell.” The task of choosing these quotes amongst the anthology that would take up a new 20-volume edition has not been easy (among O’Donnell’s other obsessions: JRR Tolkien).

As if stupidity wasn’t enough to disqualify her, O’Donnell conducted her campaign by setting a tone that wouldn’t have been appreciated if her opponent had the same attitude towards her. Mike Castle, a 71-year-old moderate Republican with cardiac problems, was declared “unmanly.” Always sexually obsessed.

The Democrats should now capitalize on the disgust that these tea party candidates are inspiring in some of the Republican voters by proposing a real alternative to the toxic ideas of these extremists. The Republicans should show some spine and renounce these ideas that would be envied by Ahmadinejad’s Iran. For the time being, the opposite may be true. Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich distinguished himself this week with his remarks that are casting doubt on his mental health. For example, he has said this week that Barack Obama exhibited “Kenyan, anti-colonial behavior”.

Karl Rove — the wonder boy of American politics, the man who helped George W. Bush get elected, who can’t be placed left of the Republicans — wasn’t wrong about it. Christine O’Donnell and her tea party colleagues are leading Republicans into a swamp, where they risk being lost for some time, instead of meeting in the houses of Congress to reform Washington as they keep repeating. The following weeks will be exciting.