They have prattled on, inventing controversy where none exists, to "create" the political dialogue; with the cooperation of the shiny object obsessed, lack of Fourth Estate awareness, modern Corporate Media, they have succeeded.
Healthcare reform turns into killing grandma, a new President of color becomes a never ending "story" about his citizenship, birthplace, how he got his education, etc.
And the media leading the parade until hacks like Donald Trump, of all people, blow another dog whistle, or political losers like John McCain want some air time and create another "controversy". Thank you for your service sir, but somewhere around Sarah Palin-ville, that card expired.
And the media keeps on playing the game, never mind that Obama has the most politically diverse cabinet in a very long time, actually incorporating the "enemy" into his decisions. That would never get close to happening on a Republican's watch.
That isn't constantly brought up when the watch words were "bi-partisan cooperation". The previous GOP candidate, whose name I care not to ever type again, was making bi-partisanship sound like something he and Karl Rove thought up having drinks with the Koch brothers, rather than Obama's exhausted path of semi- effective action- so much that those of us with Liberal minion status are saying "screw bipartisanship" cram it through and make it stick.
One thing Reagan was right about, it's easier doing it and then apologizing, rather than trying to get consensus and approval beforehand.
Now the GOP and the media- (I include the media in almost every shape and size, they are an unofficial adjunct of the GOP ("it's a horse race, it's a horse race" was no accident)- Fox is just the most glaringly obvious) are lining up with do-nothing, know nothing Republicans as they build the momentum and "create" the story of Benghazi and why Susan Rice isn't qualified. Never mind that in reality anyone that Obama nominates isn't qualified- unless he chooses Paul Ryan, and that's a definite maybe,
There was confusion after Benghazi, but more importantly, it was confusion that primarily result was to NOT aide and assist the enemy.
All we, the American people need to know right then, was that a tragedy had occurred at an American consulate and angry anti-Americans did it. That way, we are not advertising that al-quaedi struck the American Satan or some such. I still remember the Iran hostage crisis and every thing said or done turned into fuel for the extremists and points for screwing the Great American Satan. No one knows how many similar incidents on the anniversary of Nine-Eleven, giving al-quaedi public props, could have incited.
When things settle out, as they did, cooler heads would see that absolute transparency was not in the nation's best interest at the time.
But cooler heads amongst the GOP, -especially with their candidate going down in flames at the same moment, were not to be found.
So the echo-chamber and the McCain start generating the whirlwind that it was the bearer of the new, not the creator of the news, who should bear full responsibility for the "travesty to the American people, blah, blah" Even after the President said he accepted responsibility for the entire thing, the slathering pitch-forkers ignored that.
That Susan Rice, because of this "travesty to the blah, blah" was not qualified to replace Clinton, despite her extreme qualifications. In fact, it was a done deal and they would not vote for any replacement (sound familiar?) until this "travesty" is resolved. The one they made up and turned into chaos, non-jobs distraction, sound bite city with the media happily recording and echoing every statement as though it had merit.
Why the big deal, why this candidate- as the Norquist mandate starts to crumble?
I asked myself that question as I listened to the whole thing unfolding on NPR and BBC, why such a big deal?
So, I web searched it, hoping against hope that my hunch was not accurate, and I saw a picture of Susan Rice, and it confirmed my suspicions, once again.
My hunch was based on their past behavior -Sotomayor, among others, leaps to mind.
In an abbreviated way, that's why I am so sick of Republicans.
At least they aren't requesting Rice's birth certificate; yet.