The Republicans Think We're Redneck Dolts

Strip away the accolades for McCain's POW experience and you're left with wildly insulting speeches.


Well, I've listened to three days of speeches from St. Paul, and I've never heard such condescending rhetoric.

The Republicans must think we are redneck dolts.

The excessive praise for John McCain I can take; this is, after all, his convention. The Democrats in Denver were just as bad when it came to inflating their candidate's qualities and qualifications.

But, stripped of stylistic flourishes, and the seemingly infinite number of references to McCain's Vietnam service, the Republican message is all alike—based on stunningly insulting assumptions.

Here, in its essence, is what the GOP orators are saying, in speech after speech. This, apparently, is what they think of us (the average voters):

You are hicks, and proud of it. It's too hard to think, so you go with your gut. You like leaders who shoot stuff, and get you cheap gas. It's noble to be stupid.

You disliked the smart kids in high school, the ones who went to fancy colleges, and now you resent their success. You think they look down on you. You fear they may be right.

You don't like government giveaways, unless they're directed to you.

You'll believe it if we tell you, over and over, that Democrats don't love America.

You don't care about the environment, or global warming, or the world you'll leave to your kids and grandkids. You're too selfish to sacrifice now for their future. You think "drill, baby, drill" is an energy policy.

You don't like Europe. You're afraid of foreigners. You despise Chicago, and San Francisco, and the "cosmopolitan" folks who live in cities. You think writers are sissies. You mistrust experts, lawyers, civil liberties, and eloquence.

You can join the PTA, but not other community organizations. You can organize with the steelworkers, but not in the evil teachers' unions. If your father washed with Lava, you are morally superior.

You trust only those journalists who tell you what you want to hear.

You're anxious your job will get sent to some Chinaman, and you're worried about illness, and losing the house.

Science frightens you. Scripture gives you comfort. You think that diplomacy is for the weak. And that war makes us strong.

But you're dumb and greedy and will buy, one more time, our discredited promise that cutting income and inheritance taxes for the wealthy will make everything okay.

And no matter how filthy rich you make us, if we drive a pickup truck you'll think we're one of you.