Note to Democrats: Pucker up

Matt Yglesias is exactly right.

This "immunization fallacy" needs to be combatted in all its manifestations. People thought after the 2000 election that it wouldn't be possible to demonize Tom Daschle, the soft-spoken veteran moderate Senator from very red South Dakota, but it was. People thought during the 2004 primary that it wouldn't be possible to demonize John Kerry, the war hero, as weak on national security (Kerry himself repeatedly asserted this), but it was. It's not impossible to demonize anyone, especially when the accuracy of your charges is entirely unrelated to your willingness to make them or to the media's willingness to cover them in a damaging manner. Reid will be subject to a demonization campaign. If Jeb Bush wins the Democratic nomination in 2008, he will be subject to a demonization campaign. The question is what are you going to do about it?

Meanwhile, I keep hearing political reporters "wonder" if Bush will "reach across the aisle." Sure he will. To deliver a blow every now and then to remind Democrats (and moderate Republicans) who "the man" in this relationship is. You get the sense from reporters that they expect a new Bush, no longer constrained by re-election, who will behave more like that Texas governor they heard so much about. You know, the one who played so well with others.

But Bush hasn't changed, only his address has. In Texas he could appear bi-partisan because the governor of Texas is a weak position and he was dealing with a basically unified legislature, regardless of party (DeLay ended all that with redistricting, a course). Now that he has power, he intends to (continue to) wield it, and woe unto anyone who wants to put a brake on that power.

If you need any proof that Bush has no intention of being anything other than a "divider," I give you two words: Albert. Gonzalez.