Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told a fundraiser in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Thursday night:
"We believe that the best of America is in the small towns that we get to visit, and in the wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard-working, very patriotic, very pro-America areas of this great nation," she said.
Now, Democrats aren't taking it anymore:
At a rally in Mesilla, New Mexico, on Friday, Biden responded to those comments in a vociferous tone.
"I hope it was just a slip on her part and she doesn't really mean it. But she said, it was reported she said, that she likes to visit, 'pro-American' parts of the country," he said to loud boos.
"It doesn't matter where you live, we all love this country, and I hope it gets through. We all love this country," he said. "We are one nation, under God, indivisible. We are all patriotic. We all love our country in every part of this nation! And I'm tired. I am tired, tired, tired, tired of the implications about patriotism."
Note to conservatives: Indeed, Palin later clarified those remarks. She had to, but only because Democrats, liberals, and others strongly objected. However, the past eight years were filled with Republicans impugning the patriotism of Democrats and liberals. Here, for example, is Steve Dunleavy, only weeks after the 9/11 attacks:
It is amazing how liberals, whom I regard as traitors in this time of crisis...
I have no illusions that Republicans will stop questioning the patriotism of Democrats and liberals any time soon. It will start to happen only when a nationally respected Dem goes on the offense, and says publicly, for example, that the scoundrels who outed Valerie Plame actually were traitors who deliberately, with malice aforethought, imperiled the safety of their country.
UPDATE: Listen to this asshole. This has to stop. Some people think Chris Matthews tore her apart. Not true. He was far too polite. He didn't challenge her: he just asked a few pointed questions and let her rant and rant and rant.
One hopes that her Democratic colleagues in the House would call her on this bullshit. Fat chance.
UPDATE: If you'd like to help get rid Bachmann, perhaps you might consider a donation to her opponent. If you don't want to donate directly to Democrats - highly suggested, as it increases liberal influence if we can package donations - I'll try to locate a liberal group to fund a donation through and post it as another update.
UPDATE: Here's a link to an ActBlue site that supports Tinklenberg