Doing What Comes Naturally
by digby
Reagan's old 11th commandment hasn't been operative for some time (if it ever was), but Rich Lowry is still out there valiantly pretending that it is.
I admire the fighting spirit of the Rudy folks, but gee whiz. He's the front-runner! (According to the national polls.) There's no need to come off so defensively, and not every attack requires a nuclear response. Doing it to Joe Biden is one thing, but to fellow Republicans who aren't even a threat at the moment is probably ill-advised.
He's talking about Rudy's nuclear response to McCain's lukewarm criticism of the "Kerik problem."
I actually doubt seriously that this will hurt Rudy among the rank and file, particularly southern conservatives. They don't like McCain much and love any politician who will be unremittingly ruthless in every way. To them, politics is a gladiator fight to the death. Presidential candidates prove their bona-fides in places like South Carolina by completely destroying their opponents and proving they have what it takes to go after the real enemies of the state: liberals.
I think Rudy knows exactly what he's doing.
Via K-Drum who points out that Rudy goes nuclear as a matter of reflex, which is true. Along with his "law and order" kept-the-negroes-in-line appeal, that's what's making him so popular. He's an authentic racist and a sonofabitch --- the Republican dream candidate.
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