Politicizing Reagan's Death

Of course, the Bush administration is trying to wrap itself in Ronnie to the Nth degree, but I can't criticize them for that. The line between sincere mourning and what they are doing is a blurry and indistinct one, and I haven't seen them cross it (though I haven't been watching closely, either).

The hostile fringe, however, is doing its utmost to make this an "us vs. them" situation. The most ludicrous I have seen is the ever-hyperventilating Matt Margolis, who has been working his fingers to the bone trying to find liberals to criticize. First, he visited Barbra Streisand's homepage (certainly a spot I'm sure he visits often) and blasts her because she cancelled a concert out of deference to Reagan (he thought she should have sounded more grief-stricken in her announcement).

After even his allies agreed he was being a moron about Streisand, he dredged up an item published by an unbalanced (in several senses of the word) source, quoting an anonymous, unconfirmed source, that Clinton privately expressed disappointment in not being asked to speak at the funeral. The report is, of course, right wing nonsense, but the idiot fringe of the right has cranked up the hype machine to try to find something bad to say about the Democrats - even if it has to resort to silliness like this.

Finally (so far, anyhow), Margolis finds a blog on Kerry's website in which a few private citizens were less than teary-eyed in their memories of Reagan. This, he proclaims, is a reason Kerry should not be president! (Funny how the right is quick to criticize the left for insisting on "politically correct" speech, but they are so thin-skinned when it isn't minorities or women being attacked.)

It's been fascinating - in a sick way - to watch the right wing search desperately for a way to politicize Reagan's death. They care less about the passing of the man than they do about trying to find ways to criticize the left. They are disgusting and shrill. They are also hopelessly inept if this is the best they can do.