Screwtape Visits Sharonville

Reaction to Karl Rove's trip to Ohio has been amusing. It fits a common assumption among Democrats - that Republicans must come in two flavors: Evil or stupid.

Clearly any intelligent person would recognize that the Left has much more to offer the average citizen. Don't you want a government that cares, and will take care of you? Don't you think all of this talk about bringing freedom to other parts of the world is too much? Do you honestly believe that most wealthy people earned their money? And who would you prefer to show up at your party - Hollywood stars and sophisticated Europeans or racist bigots, hillbillies, and Christians?

Isn't it eminently reasonable? But it doesn't explain why 62 million people didn't agree. That's a big heap of folks that are either evil or stupid. So the next phase is bargaining: They were somehow fooled by the Rove strategy, tricked by fear and glitzy marketing.

I would politely suggest that Democrats could listen a little more respectfully to those that disagree - assuming they hope to win another election eventually.

But I guess that's probably where I make a lousy Republican devil. Under Secretary Rove (the master tactician) would instead be tickled at the sight of the partisans as they chatter away, slowly tightening their minority to the exclusion of others with their endless caricatures and vilification.