Saving the Democratic Party is hard, hard work

And now that James Carville has decided to focus his prodigious energies on a sports show with Even Li'l-er Russ, it's up to the Medium Lobster to guide the way back from complete political irrelevance. We liburols are grateful, Medium Lobster, for taking pity on us and sharing your wisdom on what is nearly an impossible task.

Perhaps this daunting task would be easier if the president were politically vulnerable. But Democrats must contend with George W. Bush, the Hercules of New Haven, who stands as a Jovian colossus astride a 40% approval rating. Indeed, by cleverly reducing his own domestic support to increasingly tepid levels, the president has reaffirmed himself as a bold unilateralist who needs no allies to charge ahead with powerful ideas like torture and illegal wiretaps. To attack Bush now would only isolate him further - and thus strengthen his reputation as a unique visionary unencumbered by "focus groups," "civil law" or "democracy."

Meanwhile, until Democrats are able to devise this year's "Strategy for Abject Capitulation," they would do well to study Sen. Obama's response to Li'l Russ's "this Abramoff stuff...bipartisan, right?" line of questioning. To wit,

SEN. OBAMA: Well, I think the problem of money in politics is bipartisan. I think that all of us who are involved in the political process have to be concerned about the enormous sums of money that have to raised in order to run campaigns, how that money's raised, and at least the appearance of impropriety and the potential access that's given to those who are contributing. That's a general problem with our politics. The specific problem of inviting lobbyists in who have bundled huge sums of money to write legislation, having the oil and gas company companies come in to write energy legislation, having drug companies come in and write the Medicare prescription drug bill -- which we now see is not working for our seniors -- those are very particular problems of this administration and this Congress. And I think Jack Abramoff and the Case Freak Project, that whole thing is a very particular Republican sin.

MR. RUSSERT: No sin for the Democrats?

SEN. OBAMA: Well, with respect to how Tom DeLay consolidated power in the House of Representatives, invited lobbyists like Abramoff in to help write legislation, leveraging those lobbyists and telling them that they can only hire Republicans, manipulating the rules of the House and the Senate in order to move forward legislation that was helpful to special interests. There is a qualitative difference to what's been happening in Washington over the last several years that has real consequences. It means a prescription drug bill that doesn't work for our seniors. It means an energy policy that does nothing to help relieve high gas prices at the pump. These aren't just abstractions, these are problems that have very real consequences to the American people. And my hope is is that, on a bipartisan basis, we can come up with a solution that returns some semblance of responsiveness to Washington.

No, they aren't just abstractions. It's up to the Democratic Party to make sure the American people understand who the source is of the very real consequences of Republican corruption and incompetence.

But I realize, as does Mark Schmitt, that that's a tough, complicated story to get across. So, perhaps more feasibly, they can take M.L's advice and try that "impersonating Republicans" tactic again. It hasn't worked so well in the past, but, ya know, practice and a $15 dollar cab ride will get you to Carnegie Hall.