I'll deduce the answer right now: because other people do. I need to know what they know. I need to know what they know to counter the crap people are willing to shove into their noggin from Mr. Sabato, who some people seem to consider a political god. I think he's much more like the Bay State's own John Keller, except maybe a little more eloquent in print.
Let's take a look at Sabato's newest peice: he seems to think the Culture of Curroption is bi-partisan. Perhaps he's the most stupid person alive, you say? Oh, but no! Representative Kennedy just got in a car accident! That makes up for all those lies that have killed thousands, abuses of prisoners and dozens of crooked Republicans who are heading for jail (and threaten to drag half of K St. with them).
Now, don't get me wrong. Sabato can have his moments, but his
latest "Crystal Ball" was anything but a moment of clarity or political genius.
Yet as Kennedy flew to the Mayo Clinic for yet more drug dependency treatment, he took Democrats' hopes of running against the Republican "culture of corruption" with him.
It would be one thing if there were only Tom DeLay, or Goss, or just "Duke" Cunningham, or just Abramoff, or Bill Frist, or Scooter Libby. Instead, all of these members of the Republican leadership are currently being boiled alive in their own scandals. It isn't just one person - it's the entire Republican leadership.
Cunningham's in prison - Abramoff to follow. Tom DeLay is retiring and may be heading to the joint himself, with Scooter Libby likely to follow him. Libby and Abramoff are both likely to squeal like pigs to save their skin.
But damn that Kennedy! His car accident and drug problem equals the lie that brought America to war, the American torture chambers in Eastern Europe, the outing of a CIA agent for political revenge... and more than a dozen examples of extreme corruption by Republicans not seen since Nixon was forced to flee office.
This congressman with the celebrity name grabbed everyone's attention, and he reminded the public in an unforgettable way that sleaze and corruption and special favors on Capitol Hill are very much bipartisan. That's what the American people believe anyway, and now they have had it confirmed in new headlines.
Writing has an amazing quality. If you write it, people will believe it. If Sabato and the like keep repeating themselves, people will indeed believe it. As of now, America favors Democrats being in charge on Capitol Hill... so I'm inclined to disagree with Sabato. However, I'm sure he'll keep prophesizing it until he says it enough times that it becomes true.