We laugh at the loyalty-oaths before you're allowed entry to a Bush/Cheney event. In Rove's eyes, they made sense - he wanted the nation to see an America united before its president. He also knew that this president doesn't tackle dissent well, and that having him tell off a heckler from the podium could risk sinking his campaign. Bush was out of control in Debate 1, against Kerry, on national Television. What do you think the Boy King would have been capable of against a lib'rul heckler?
However. How much actual turning of voters do you do when you're solely preaching to the choir? Sure, they'll let in undecided voters, according to their own statements. Yet, we have reports about the troubles anyone who's not a true-blood multi-generation Republican has getting to listen to the president. Most recently on Ko,s about the soldier who was going to Iraq, but who couldn't get in to listen to the man who was sending him there!
Rove is an idiot. But that's quite OK, as it appears major portions of the Republican party is being run by idiots.
They had a simple choice: state your policies, work your issues, gather up your support; or fake your policies, lie about the issues, manipulate your way to support through deception, scare-tactics, vote fraud and disenfranchisement.
They chose the latter.
We are all waiting for Rove's October surprise. The surprise, sadly, would have been if they had a solid record to run on. This reminds me of Hitler-Germany, where everyone was waiting for the Führer's Wonderweapon that would scare the Allies and secure victory for the Reich.
There is no October surprise, folks. This election is sunk for Bush, and he and his people did the sinking. It didn't have to be that way, but their prejudices blinded them, and gave them a mind-set where they placed themselves above the Constitution and the laws that distinguish us from animals.
Expect there to be a lot less cheering of Rove on November 3.